Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-02
rpecin, Dispatch to The Sunday Star.

Special Dispatch to The sunday Star.
BALTIMOUE. Md, April l. The par
amount political issue in Maryland today
is the proposed disfranchisement amend
ment to the constitution of the state. And,
although the election at which the amend
ment will be voted upon by the people is
eight months off, the campaign may be
said to be already under way. The DEM
ocratic state organization will wage the
most earnest fight in years, with Senator
German in person at the helm. Close OBJ
servers of the trend of politics hold to
the belief that the amendment will be de-
feated at the polls. They point to the
fact that a large proportion of democrats
throughout the state unalterably op-
posed to the amendment. thereby splitting
the party. on the other hand, they say
that the republicans to a man are opposed
TO the measure. and that whatever other
differences may exist among factions in
the state and city they are united and
Will vote a unit against this grand
fathers clause"
Here is the vital part of the proposed
amendment:
constitution of this state submitted to him
by the officers of registration and to give
reasonable explanation of the same: or,
If unable to read such section, is able TO
understand and give explanation thereof
when read to him by the registration Of
fcers: or
Second. A person who on the first day of
January, 1863, or prior thereto was entitled
to vote under the laws of this state or Of
any other state of the United States where
in he then resided or
Third Any male lineal descendant of
such aforementioned person who may be
twenty-one years of age or over in the
year 1906
mo person not thus qualified by coming
of thn hn,r rinfin
shall be entitled to be registered a quail
itied voter, nor be entitled to vote"
Governor Warfield Opposed.
1t was this section which aroused the OPP
position of Governor Warfield and caused
him to send his famous message to the
state senate In which he outlined his at
ttude. And 1t was this same section which
prompted the governor to refuse to promul-
gate the amendment, which led to re-
course TO the court to compel such action
by the governor. Governor Warfield in his
message to the senate did not mince words.
He plainly set forth that the amendment
was not fair legislation land that it re-
moved all safeguards from the rights of the
voter. In these words from tn, executive
message, which admit of but one interpre-
tation, the governor voiced his sentiments
regarding the measure:
THE educational requirement therein Is
not conservative or definite but is vague
and uncertain, and is liable to cause grave
abuses through the prejudces, the whims
and the partisan zeal of the registra ton Of
fcers. Any educational requirement or
qualification adopted should be defined in
precise terms in the amendment, and thus
be placed beyond the power of any cleo
ton officer to do injustice by partisan
unfair action.
The fundamental right of a citizen to
exercise the privilege of suffrage should not
depend upon the opinion of any set of cleo
ton officers as to the reasonableness of his
Interpretation of any clause of the consti-
tuition
The republicans will put up vigorous
fight TO defeat the amendment, and as one
of the leaders of the party puts 1t, 1T will
be fight against a perpetuation of the
power of Senator German. /. Freeman
Rasin Murray Vandver, Joshua w. Miles
and others who are able to lead few men
to the primaries and through those prima-
rieS control an organiZati ton which does not
represent one-tenth of the democratic vot-
of the state"
DR.. Hollander's Mission.
DIR. Jacob II. Hollander of the Johns Hop
kins University, who sailed today from
New York for Santo Domingo and who will
make an investigation of affairs there at
the instance of President Roosevelt, is to-
day recognized as one of the leading econ
omists of America.
The services he has rendered to the Unit
ed States government similar occasions
have been signal His work in Porto Rico.
where he was sent as a special emissary of
the late President Mckinley to devise a
Milan niziDO "a n