The Democratic advocate., 1905-08-12

6lQ IN the elevation OF MS race snOuo
hail with satisfaction the effort which
this amendment will require from the
uneducated negro to learn to read in
order to qualify himself as voter, and
the adoption of the amendment will
put into the hands of the better class
of our colored population a power and
influence for good with the illiterate Of
their race which they have never thus
far possessed.
The most generous offers of the op-
portunities of education furnished by
our public schools for more than 80
years have not borne the rich fruit
which was hoped for, but when our
colored people realize that If they can
not read they shall not vote 1t will not
be long before the evils under which
our elective franchise suffers unto deg
radiation will be greatly lessened.
Indeed one of the strongest argu-
ments in favor of the amendment is
that so far from being injurious or un-
just to our negro population, 1t Will, on
the contrary, if adopted, be promotive
Of their best interests.
rate from the contamination Of debased
and ignorant negro suffrage. it will
necessarily stimulate the uneducated
negro to learn to read and thereby to
earn the right to vote.
And if he prove either unwilling or
unable to come up to the easy educa-
tional test prescribed by the amend
ment, he ought not to be permitted to
vote, and there is no hardship in ex-
Guiding him.
Constitution of 1864.
Our Constitution of 1864, upon grounds
of public policy then deemed to be suf-
ficient, and held by our Court of APP
peals in Anderson VS.. Baker, % Md,
531, to be valid and constitutional, dis
franchised by the most stringent retro
active provisions all who sympathized
with the Southern Confederacy or had
ever given any aid or comfort to the
cause of secession.
This destruction of the pre-eXisting
right to vote under the Constitution Of
1851 was accomplished by partisan
Board of Registration Officers, whose
decision was declared to be absolutely
final and conclusive without appeal.
Surely, if the Acknowledgement Of
two-thirds of the cultured and influ-
entail white voters of the State was
then adjudged to be wise and expedient
in order to save the government Of the
State from the possibility of falling
into the hands of the Southern SYM
pathiZers of that day, the present effort
to save our elective franchise from the
deplorable evils of the lowest grade Of
ignorant negro suffrage ought not to
be denounced as pernicious, or resisted
as unjust or injurious.
On the contrary, it ought to appeal
with persuasive and controlling force
to all of our people who without dis
tinction OF party, believe in the SUI
premacy of the white race, and who
feel that some degree of intelligence
should be exacted as the test Of the
right to vote
Objection to the Amendment.
There only now remains for consid-
Grafton the objection which has been
urged to the amendment, viz, that 1t
gives too much power to our Registra-
tion officers.
But this is an entire mistake, as an
examination of our Election Law will
plainly show
We find in every election precinct
bipartisan board of registration Off
GERS, composed equally of Democrats
and Republicans, carefully selected by
the Supervisors of Elections, sworn to
do their duty fairly and impartially,
and subject to heavy penalties for its
violation, with a right of appeal from
their decision in every case to the
Circuit Court for their respective coun-
ties, or to some judge of the Supreme
Bench of Baltimore city, with a fur
ther right of appeal in every case to
the Court of Appeals.
In full view of these most abundant
safeguards against error, injustice and
injury. we are called on to meet an ar
gument that these registration officers
will wickedly, corruptly or ignorantly
register illiterate foreigners or negroes
who ought not to be registered, or re-
fuse to register literate foreigners or
negroes who ought to be registered,
and because of the possibility of such
misconduct we must continue to bear
political evils which an overwhelming
majority of our people have declared
to be intolerable!
There would not be any force in the
argument now being considered even If
there were no right of appeal from the
registration officers, for the obvious
reason that the equal political division
Of the registration officers is the am
plest protection against error and in
Justice, and that consequently partisan
injustice is practically next to impos-
sible But when we bear in mind that
there IS the fullest, speediest right uf
appeal, even to our highest Court, the
argument needs only to be stated to be
rejected.
In truth, when analyZed, it means
that our election officials cannot be
trusted with duties powers and respon-
sibilities, even when they act subject
to the absolute supervision and control
of our Court of Appeals, and applies
with equal force to the performance by
the registration officers of their other
functions in the work of registration.
When, therefore, we realize that this
is the only objection that is seriously
urged to influence the views and votes
of our people who wish preservation
and protection against the evils of a
debased and ignorant negro suffrage,
is it too much to hope and believe that
the Amendment presented to them for
the purpose of securing to them this
preservation and protection will grow
in favor the more carefully it is con-
sidered, and in November next will be
made a vital force in the Constitution
of Maryland by decisive popular rati-
fcation? MURRAY VANDIVER,
Chairman of Democratic State
Central Committee.
March 27, 1905.