Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1905-10-12
DECLARES Its POSITION.
Is Against negro Suffrage.
Ex-Governar i fanRzon said

WnSDs sSFekM #CtAss ago, was
requested By saGns Of my friends TO
make an addrez* 10 this convention
l declined the :nvitation, as am
not in the hahsl Of making public
speeches and Ave not voice suf-
ficiently strong q enable me to talk
to large audiences. But. IN view of
the recent criticisms that have been
made with refefenee to my views on
the proposed es5asiitutional amend
ment. cannd aErain from sayinga
Fsg aoeSs. .sotx outstanding that
I have on several occasions clearly
stated my position, there seems 70
be a disposition In certain quarters
TO misrepresent my views and mo-
tives.
i want to say to you. gentlemen,
with such emphasis that there may
hereafter be no question about it,
thot favor the adoption OF the fran
chise amendment, not because Mr..
German is for it, nor because Gov.
Warfield is said to be against it, and
without reference to what Senator
Rayner's position may be; but
favor it because lam lully satisfied
that its adoption viii be for the best
interests of all the people of the
State, regardless of politics or of
party.
Il do not regard it as a party
question, but as great public ques-
ton, involving the welfare and the
peace of our State and her people
from a business and social stand
point. For this reason Iregret that
the Republican party is making it
party issue. This convention ought,
in my judgment, to indorse the
amendment, not because it may or it
may not perpetuate the Democratic
party in power, as some contend,
but in the same spirit that it would
indorse any other proposition hav-
ing for its aimand object good govern
ment aud the growth of the State.
Increase Independents Voting"
"The truth is, j am one of those
who do not believe, as some profess
To fear, that the elimination of the
negro from politics will tend to per-
petuate the Democratic party in
power. On the contrary, believe
that the disfranchisement of the ig-
norant and illiterate negro will in
crease to a very large extent inde-
pendent voting. There are thous-
ands of persons in Maryland today
who vote the Democratic ticket,
whoever may be its candidates, be-
cause they know there are $4,000
negroes in the State who at every
election, blindly. unintelligently and
without any thought or concern for
the financial or business interests of
the State, go to the polls and vote
the Republican ticket. They give
no more thought to men and issues
today than they did 30 years ago.
Certain it is that the chief effect
of the adoption of the constitutional
amendment will be to disfranchise
the negro. hope no one wants me
to emphasize the fact that the intel
ligence of Maryland is to be found
among the white people. 1t follows,
then, that the adoption of theamend-
ment and consequent elimination OF
the negro from politics will increase
intelligent voting. IL by increasing
intelligent voting the Democratic
party is to be perpetuated in power,
then every good citizen who has the
interest of his State at heart should
agree with me that it ought to be
kept in power.
A1A&A&&AAAF 4<C&&MH ~ AEAkAkGs
aside from these reasons of pub
lie policy, / do not hesitate TO say
that favor the amendment because
l firmly believe that there ought to
be a distinction between the white
man and the negro politically, as
well as socially. Political equality
of the races tends stoencourage social
equality, and social equality leads
to disorder and crime. This has
been the experience of every State
in which the race question has been
agitated, and the result has been the
adoption of franchise amendment
similar to the one now proposed in
Maryland.
II speak earnestly in this matter,
not out of any feeling of prejudice
against the negro race. am. and
always have been, friend of the
colored man. My political and per-
sonal conduct proves this fact.
Some years ago Congress passed
bill appropriating q sum for the
use of the Agricultural College of
Maryland, which provided that there
should be no distinction of race and
color. As Governor. it became my
duty to sign the vouchers. and said
To the trustees of the Maryland Apri.