The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1905-03-31
THE EDUC ATIONALTEST.

ations were by careful study of the pro-
visions of the several Southern States
upon the question of negro suffrage, and
By the successful and practical opera
ton Of such provisions IN those States
It thus reflects and adopts the latest
and best cieeos Of the strongest men Of
the South.
Recurring to its precise language, we
find that it confers the right to registra-
ton Gas the indispensable preliminary
to the right to vote) upon every adult
male possessing the prescribed quaIifca-
ton Of one years legal residence in
Maryland, who is able to read and give
a reasonable explanation of any section
of the Constitution of Maryland sub
mitted to him by the registration officers
or, if such adult male is unable to
read, then the right to registration is
given if he lis able to understand and
give explanation of any section of the
Constitution when read to him by them.
If the applicant is able to read and
give a reasonable explanation of any
section of the Constitution, when thus
submitted to him he is entitled to regis
tration.
This standing alone would fairly mean
that the applicant must be able both to
read and give a reasonable explanation
of the section submitted to him. But
the succeeding words of the clause show
that such cannot be its meaning, for
these succeeding words declare that if
the applicant cannot read, but can under
stand and give explanation of the sec
ton when read to him. he is in that
event entitled to registration.
From this examination of the whole
clause, it is clear that no more is re-
quired of any applicant than an ability
to give reasonable explanation Of any
Section of the Constitution, whether
read by him when submitted by the req
istration officers, or when read To him by
them.
The literal language of the second
part Of the clause does not require that
the explanation shall be reasonable. "
but inasmuch as the applicant who is
unable to read is required both ''to
understand and give explanation, the
explanation exacted from him should
fairly be construed to mean reasonable
explanation. Indeed, the word .reas-
enable found in the first part of the
clause should doubtless be treated as
implied or understood. although not
actually repeated in the second part of
the clause.
1t is found in the present Constitu-
ton Of Virginia, from which the whole
clause is taken, and it cannot be sup
posed that the omission of this word
: reasonable was intended to affect the
Interpretation of the clause.
The right to registration conferred
upon men able to understand AMI rive
explanation, while not able to read.
is not made to depend upon an in ,5iIity
to read from physical defect, such as
blindness, but is conferred absolutely
upon them without regard to the cause
Of their inability whether the same
arises from want OF sufficient edu alton
or any other cause whatever
The right, in other words. is male to
depend upon the fact of the inability to
read and not at all upon the ca,m Of
such inability. Hence, the practical and
substantial test OF admission to registra-
ton or exclusion from it under this
whole clause is the ability or inability Of
the applicant to understand and give
reasonable explanation of any section
Of our State Constitution read to him
by the Registration Officers. No greater
,or different test is required from the
man who can read and the man who
cannot read. Both are required to be
able to give reasonable explanation of
any section submitted by the Registra-
ton Officers The man who can read
and give reasonable explanation of the
section which is submitted to him to be
read By him is put upon the same plane
precisely as the man who cannot read,
but can understand and give reasonable
explanation of the section read to him.
And SO, too, the man who can not
read the section submitted to him to be
read by him, but is called on to give
reasonable explanation of section read
to him by the Registration Officers is
put upon the same plane precisely as the
man who can read the section submitted
to him by the Registration Officers to be
read By him.
Starting, therefore, with this plain
Interpretation of the meaning of the
whole clause, viz: that any illiterate
man, whether white or black, who can
understand and give reasonable expla-
nation of any section of the Constitu-
ton which may be read by him to the
Registration Officers or read to him by
them, is entitled to registration the
question is whether, in connection with
the other clauses of the Amendment,
it is a good and desirable amendment to
the Constitution Of Maryland, and as
such, should be adopted by the people,
or whether it is the bad proposition
which some of its opponents pro-
claim it to be, and, as such, should be