Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1905-09-09
THE ELIMINATION OF THE NEGRO.

THE ELIMINATION OF THE NEGRO.
+. A Richardson, Of Washington. who
for so many years was the Washington
correspondent of the Baltimore SIM and
whose articles on political subjects were
greatly interested in the DISTINGUISHING
amendment to be voted for in this State.
In the SIM Of August 25th he had a
communication which has aroused great
enthusiasm. Here it is:
Have not the Republicans and the
assistant Republicans. who march under
the name of Independent Democrats.
practically thrown up the sponge? The
Negro Disfranchisement Amendment
was conceived and matured for the ex-
press purpose of combining the suffrage
to the white population and such of the
negroes as possess sufficient intelligence
and judgment to properly exercise the
elective franchise There was no in
tention to deprive any white man of his
vote. and should the Amendment be
adopted there will be no effort in that
direction. Every white man in the
State of Maryland should thoroughly
understand this. The real, and the only
issue is the elimination of the ignorant
negro. Those whether acknowledged
Republicans or falsely self-styled Demo-
Gratis who oppose the Amendment
should be rigidly held down to this issue.
As it is. they scarcely have word to
say about the negro; the whole burden
of their lament is that white men are
to be denied access to the polls. This
prompts the query whether they have
not thrown up the sponge? They must
be perfectly satisfied that their only
hope is to befog and complicate the
point upon which the people are asked
to decide
Even in the Republican annals there
never has been a more disingenuous and
dishonest method Of campaigning than
that now practiced in Maryland. 1t is
the method of desperation. If they
can persuade any large body Of white
voters of Maryland that their own
political privileges are in danger, un-
doubtedly. as the Republican managers
claim, the Amendment viii most proba-
bly, be defeated. On the other hand. if
they can be held down to the actual
point, the Amendment will be carried
by an enormous majority. II not one
of the States where the negroes have
been disfranchised have the whites
been affected. except in the most in
intestinal degree. why should it affect
them in the State of Maryland? The
very class of white voters that the Re-
publicans are trying to influence by
their false cries are the identical men
who naturally ought to be strongest in
favor of the Amendment They have
more at stake than any other class.
The experience of every State where
the suffrage is confined to the whites
has shown it to be beneficial. 1t has
brought purer politics; it has lessened
most materially the danger Of race con-
flicts; it has promoted morality among
the negroes: il has made fewer crimi-
mails, and il has made them a better
laboring class. II would have. I'M
questionably, the same effect in the
State Of Maryland. The rot about what
the Democratic Ring" Of Maryland
will do If the negroes no longer vote is
not worthy Of consideration. The Dem
ocratic Ring" will never have the
power. even if il had the inclination. to
do 1.-THE of the dreadful things pre-
dicted by the Republicans and the
assistant Republicans.
What can be more corrupt, more de-
grading, more subversive Of good gov
eminent than dense mass Of ignorant
voters chained perpetually 10 the care
of one party? Judging by what has
gone before. is there anything the Re-
publican Ring" Of Maryland would
stop at If it had the power? II is all
very well to say there is no danger Of
negro domination in the State of Mary
land OF course, there is no danger Of
a negro being elected Governor, or
Mayor Of Baltimore. or Of the negroes
having a majority in the Legislature or
Of the City Council of Baltimore: nor
would there be if there were twice as