The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1905-09-22


are u years of age. have lived in the
state one year and in a county or leg
islatiye dietricts of Baltimore City
six months. fla man voted in Mary
land or in any other State in 1869 or
prior thereto, he will have To swear to
that fact in addition to ar
swering questions rs to age and resi-
dence II q man is a son or grandson
Of a voter in 1869 or prior thereto, he
can he registered by swearing to the
fact, in addition to possessing the Con-
stitutional requirements of age and
residence.
The colored man will be required to
read a section of the Constitution of
Maryland and give n reasonable expla-
nanation of its meaning, or give such
an explanation when read to him.
White men who were not voters in
Maryland in 1869, or in some other
State of the Union, or who are not de-
scendants of persons who were not
voters in that year or before, will also
have to be able to read ana reasonably
explain section of the Constitution,
or give such explanation when read to
them. This may bar out some foreign
ers who have settled in Maryland in
v
men. But is this hardship?
Public schools have been open for
over forty years. Every native
has had an opportunity 10 secure fair
education free of cost. Any man WHO
has not had ambition enough to learn to
read and to understand what he reads,
81 as to he able to discharge the duties
of citizenship as well as for his own
benefit, has only himself to blame if
he cannot register and vote.
The foreigner who has come to this
country only TO better his physical
condition and not to learn our Ian
guage, laws and systems of govern
ment, is better fitted to live in mon
archy than i'll this Republic of SOW
ereignS.
The object in framing the franchise
amendment was to retain the voting
privilege to as many white people as
possible and TO prevent as many ne
groes as possible from exercising the
voting. privilege. 70 so frame the
amendment it was necessary to avoid
conflict with the Federal Constitution,
and the best possible to do has been
done to disfranchise the negro and
allow the white man to vote
After the new registration of 1906
there is not likely to be another one
for ten years perhaps longer. And
after 1906 the educational qualification
will apply 10 all persons applying for
registration.
No feasible plan has yet been de-
vised to determine the qualifications of
persons to register except to make the
registrars the judges. 1t is done every
where where there are registration
laws. Where educational and prop
erty qualifications are imposed, as in
some of the New England States, the
registrars determine the matter.
The chief objection to the amend
ment by those who are honestly OPP
posed to it, is the power given to reg
istrars to determine whether the ex-
planation Of tue meaning of the Sec
ton of the Constitution is sufficiently
reasonable to entitle an applicant for
registration to have his name entere d
as qualified voter. One may be able
to read and not understand. If he
cannot understand, what degree of in
telligence is demonstrated 10y his abll-
ity to read? There can be- no tduca-
tional test without the explana-
ton clause.
Suppose the proposed amendment
required an applicant for registration
to be able only to read u section of the
Constitution. If there were disposi-
ton to practice injustice could not the
applicant be turned aside for mispro-
nouncing words? If the qualification
included writing, could he not be
turned aside because his writing was
adjudged illegible?
suppose a property qualification
were imposed, could not an appIi-
cant for registration be turned aside
because his actual worth was not
deemed sufficient after debts were de-
Quoted? A man may be assessed for
s., 900 and be worth nothing. Estates
of men generally regarded well off
have some times been insufficient to
pay Oft their debts.
Many opponents of the franchise
amendment argue against it ON The
theory that the registrars will be both
ignorant and corrupt. They have no
right to presuppose. Experience is
against such a supposition. 1t has
been some years since any registrar
has been charged with corruption, ex-
cept recklessly. Those tried 10y Gov
ernor Hamilton were exonerated by
him.
As to intelligence, the average regis
trar ranks u little above the average
juror In matters much more import
ant than the casting of ballot, in-
volving life and liberty, the juror is
made judge of the law and facts. 1t
may be he may have to interpret a
part OF the Constitution.
The power to determine q mans
qualifications to register must be given
to the registrars, and there has been no
recent experience to judge that they
will be ignorant or corrupt. The Gov
| ernor is at the head of the appointing
power. He names the Supervisors Of
Elections and they in turn appoint
the registrars. To presuppose that ig-
norant and corrupt registrars will be
appointed is to presuppose that the
Governor will not select proper super
visors and they in turn will appoint
unfit registrars.
Supervisors of Elections are usually,
if not invariably, men of character
and standing. The fact that no
charge of unfairness or corruption have
recently been made against the regis
trars of voters, and appeals from their
| decisions have been few, shows that
they have been both honest and COM
petent.