The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1905-10-13
Eisction-Tussday. November 7. 1905,
TIE DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM.


The State Convention, which met
in Baltimore recently, devoted its
entire deliberations to the proposed
suffrage amendment, which it de-
clared was the principal issue in this
falls campaign. Special stress is
brought to bear upon the different
provisions of the proposed addition
to our organic law, and we commend
its careful persual by all of our read
ers. By its terms, every man who
processes Democracy is bound, and
voting for it is as much the discharge
of party fealty as casting a ballot
for the rest of the ticket. The official
utteranccs of the party are as fol-
lows:
"By common consent the only is
sue in this campaign is whether negro
suffrage, put upon us against our
will by force, shall be restricted and
its power for evil destroyed. This
Democratic convention, representing
two-thirds of the white people of the
State, reafiirms the declaration of
our party in our platforms of 1899
and 1908 upon this subject, and now
proclaims anew our resolute purpose
to maintain the supremacy of our
race and its control by all lawful and
constitutional means, of the admin
istration of the political affairs ofthe
State.
Upon this question, distinctly pre-
scented in the campaign of 1908 as
the paramount issue of that contest,
we succeeded in obtaining three-lifths
of the Seuatc and Of the House of
Delegates, and for the first time in
many years found ourselves in a po-
sition to redeem our pledge to the
people and obey their command by
preparing and submitting for their
adoption all amendment Of our Con-
stitution to cure the intolerable evil
from which we have suffered so long.
Our Democratic Legislature of
1904, clothed with this power and
exclusively charged with this duty
and responsibility, proceeded with
care and deliberation to frame an
amendment, which, while avoiding
all conflict with the Fourteenth and
Fifteenth Amendments of the Con-
stitution of the United States, will,
if adopted, rescue us in Maryland
from the blight of ignorant and de-
based negro suffrage
at will keep from our registration
books the names of thousands Of ig-
norant and venal negroes totally I'M
fit to vote, and will thus go far to
lessen the evils of absolute and I'M
restricted negro suffrage. 1t will
give us the great and inestimable
boon of intelligent manhood suffrage
and secure to US the priceless benefit
of the political supremacy of the
white people of the State.
"And these ends will be accom-
plished righteously, honestly, by fair
means; for with bipartisan boards
of registration, constant attendance
of party watchers in the registration
room and full light of appeal to the
courts, provided and secured by law,
which we pledge ourselves to main
tain, arbitrary and unjust denial of
registration to men, white or black,
truly entitled to be registered, will
be practically impossible.
believing, therefore, that the
amendment will operate an effective
remedy for the evils of our situation,
without prejudice or injury to any
race or class; regarding it, moreover,
as complete response to the clearly
expressed mandate of the people. we
unreservedly commend and approve
it.
eve make it the single issue of this
campaign.
eve declare it to be our battle.cry!
"The negro vote as itstands today
is a perpetual menace to the pros
perity and peace of Maryland, a men,
ace to our very civilization, for it is
ignorant, corrupt, the blind instru-
ment of INSCRIPTIONS and selfish
leaders. White voters divide upon
measures ofpublic policy. They keep
alive the movements of patriotism
which make popular government
possible. The negro voters never di-
vide. They remain a compact mass,
under all circumstances, subject to |
the orders of their managers, asking
no questions-a mere unthinking |
herd, to be delivered in the market
place.
with such factor forever present
in the equation of our political desti-
nies-a factor potent enough to turn
the scale, but always insensible to
the promptings of true citizenship
what hope of honest and enlightened
government is possible?
"The Democratic party, therefore,