Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1905-10-28
THE ADVOCATE VS.. THE PARA
MOUNT ISSUE

The Democratic Advocate, of West
minister, Md, in it's issue of October
IA, printed in it's editorial column
the suffrage provision of the Massa-
chusetts Constitution adopted in 1857
as follows:
''No person shall have tue right to
vote, or be eligible to Office under the
Constitution of this Common ealth,
who shall not be able to read the Con-
stitution in the English language, and
write his name; provided, however,
that the provisions of this amendment
shall not apply to any person prevent
cd by a physical disability from com
plying with its requisition, nor to any
person who now has the right to
vote, nor to any person who shall be
sixty years of age or upwards at the
time this amendment shall take
effect.
The purpose of the printing of this
must have been to show the people of
this State that Northern State of
tho striotest Northern ideas contained
in its Organic Law a limitation upon
the exercise of the elective franchise.
No attempt. however, was made to
analyze its provisions or to compare
them with the present Constitutional
Amendment now before the people of
Maryland for ratification or rejection.
The reason for this is apparent The
Massachusetts, Constitution prescribes
definite test as anyone who is able
to read the Constitution in the English
language and write his name. is en-
titled TO vote. He is not required to
undergo an examination upon Oonsti
tutional law, nor is he subject in any
way to the caprice or within of the
registration officer.
II seems strange that whore the par
amount issue is the elimination of the
vicious negro vote the Advocate
should have gone to n Northern State
for Constitutional limitation upon
the right to vote where there is no
colored vote. 1t would be much more
TO the point to 60 TO the South of us
where the negro population is much
larger and much more ignorant than
it is in the State of Maryland. In
Mississippi the negro population is
over GO per cent. of the entire popula-
ton. aud in nine counties of that state
the oolored population ranges from
IS to % percent, and yet Mississippi,
in order to work out for itself some
relief from the blighting influence
of this element of its population as
voters, adoptd the following Cons IT,
tutional provision:
'On and after the first day of Jan
uary, 1892. every eleotor shall be able
20 read any section of the Con:titu
tion of this Safe, or he shall be able
TO understand the same when read to
him, or to give a reasonable interpre-
tation thereof. -
Three ways are here prescribed in
which voter may qualify himself.
IL he is able to read any provision of
the Constitution he is entitled TO vote
whether he understands that provision
ORGAN give reasonable Interpretation
of il or not Ii q State with such a
large percentage of its population
made up of the negro race gives to the
citizens of that State the right TO vote
il they can read, and deems that imi
tation an adequate protection against
for the people of the State of Mary
land to say that with only is perlcent.
colored population we must have a
provision in our Constitution which
gives to the party in power the right
90 disfranchise many worthy persons
who do not come under the Consti-
tutional exemption.
In South Carolina, where the negro
race is about 60 per cent. of the popu-
lation, cololed citizen is permitted
to register if he can both read and
write any section of the Constitution
submitted TO him by the registration
officers, or can show that he has paid
taxes for certain length Of time upon
as much as $500 worth Of property.
This latter Constitution is definite in
all its terms. 1t presoribes an educa.
tional qualification and property
qualification, both of which are fixed
in the CONSTITUTION itself and leaves
nothing to the discretion of the regis
tration officers. In Maryland, how
reyer, if the amendment passes, citi.
zen, unless protected by the grand
fathers clause must either be able
TO read and give reasonable explana-
tion of the Constitution, or if unable
to read must understand it and give a
reasonable explanation of it when read
TO him This is far more stringent
than any Southern State, and aside
from the dangers of an disorderly, dis,
honest administration CT the law
which might result from its adoption,
it is not necessary 20 resort TO such a
measure in order TO accomplish the
purpose which we all deisre, 20 wit !:
the elimination of the worst element
of our negro population from the cleo.
torate.