The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1905-05-13
CHAIRMAN VAHDlvER
EXPLAINS AMENDMENT
The Suffrage Amendment to the
Constitution.
WHAT lT PROPOSES AND WHY 1T
SHOULD BE ADOPTED.

L
redemption of the letter and the spirit
Of the platform upon which our Demo
cratic Senate and House OF Delegates,
as well as Governor. Comptroller ana
Attorney General. were elected.
An examination OF its terms will
abundantly show that il obeys the pop
ular mandate as expressed in their
election.
II is designed to give to the people
an opportunity to rescue our State
from great evil.
1t is believed TO be full, complete
and effective remedy. while at the same
time wholly free from valid constitu-
tional objection: and its trainers, advo-
Gates and supporters. voicing the senu-
ments Of the white people Of the State,
feel that the crisis is one calling for a
vigorous measure that will meet and
cure this evil.
II preserves without change the ex-
listing provision OF our Constitution
which requires registration as an abso-
Lutte condition precedent to the exercise
OF the right to vote, and confers the
right to registration only upon adult
males who have been residents OF Mary
land for at least one year.
The changes which it proposes in our
existing Constitution are shown in the
following new provisions:
Every such male citizen OF the United
States having the above prescribed
qualifications u age and residence shall
be entitled to be registered 50 as to be-
come qualified voter II he be-
"First--A person able TO read any
Section of the Constitution OF this State
submitted TO him by the oficers of Reg
istration and 10 give = reasonable ex-
PLANTATION Of the same: or. II unable TO
read such section. able to understand
and give explanation thereof when read
TO him by the Registration ofsieers; or
''Second-A person who on the ist
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 wherein he then resided;
or
-'Third-Any male iIneal descendant
of such aforementioned person who nay
be twenty-one (eil years OF are or over
tn the year 1896
NO person no, thus qualified by CON-
ing under some one os the above de-
seriptions shall b. entitled to b. regis
tered as a qualified voter. nor be eRiI-
tied TO vote
These provisions arr perfectly plain.
They declare that every adult male
Citizen OF the United States ~ho has
resided one year in Maryland shall be
entitled 10 registration II he comes IN
der any one Of the three above mentioned
descriptions OF persons Such adult male
citizen may therefore. claim rsgistra-
tion-
First Hacaaae qualified under the
edueAtional-test clause. OF.
second Because qualified by reason
Of The fart thar be vas entitled TO vote
prior thereto. by the laws os this State
or of the State wherein be thea ~
sided: or.
Thira- Because qualified hy reason
of the fact that be Is iiueai descend
ant OF the person whc was thus entitled
10 vote on the ist day of January. iSss.
and twenty one years of zgs or over IN
the year 1906; that Is TO say. that he
was born not later than the year isSs.
These three descriptions of persons
are in the alternative.
The applicant for registration is re-
quired to bring himself under one only
OF them. and any one of them Is snfi-
cIent
All White Men.
He may become registered voter
because he was entitled to vote 50 far
back as January !. 1858. OF earlier. un-
der the laws OF the State in which be
then resided: OF because, having been
born not later than 1855. he Is lineal
descendant OF such lRst-named person:
or because. not claiming 20 beloag to
either of these two Glasses. he possesses
theprescrfbeI educational Qualification.
Obviously. Clause Second embraces
only men who on January /. 1863, were
not less than tventy-One years Of age.
that Is to say. men born not later than
is4s The youngest voter who under
this clause could be lawfully registered
in 1906. under the proposed amendment.
would accordingly be then ffy-eight
years old. and this clause would clearly
allow of the registration Of ali male
citizens of the United States white or
black. native born or naturalixed. lit
crate or iiiiterate. who on January I.
1869. or earlier. were entitled TO vote
in the State in which they then resided.
All white men who were citizens OF
any of the United States on January /.
1869. whether native born or natural
lied. who shall be living In Maryland
NJ the period Of registration and who
shall have resided In Maryland for one
year prior 10 that period will be enti-
tied to registration as qualified voters
under this second clause.
The practical operation OF this second
clause will. therefore, be to admit TO
registration all white Marylanders mot
disqualified by reason OF conviction for
some Infamous crime'') who were vot-
ers in Maryland on the first day OF jan
uary. 1869. o. earlier. and also all white
men who on that date or earlier were
qualified voters in any OF the States Of
the Union
No educational or other test can be