The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1909-10-14

FIGHT IN MARYLAND ON DIS
FRANCHISING AMENDMENT i
INTERESTS FAIR SEX -
THE DEMOCRATS ARE NOR UNITED
And are Having Hard Time Ex-
planning Why No Whites Will Be
Disfranchised" If the Tests Are Inn
partially Applied. ...:...
(Horace D. Slatter.)

1855. (Horace D. Slatter.) -. -,
Baltimore, Md, Oct. 14.-There Is
no apathy in the Maryland disfran.
chisement fight now. The good wo-
men OF Baltimore have gotten into
the ARRAY and ~ are lighting like
Turks. ... 49,. .... =
That the woman is the power be-
hind the throne Is never more fully
shown than it is in this case, and the
Woman's Suffrage League, under the
leadership of Mrs. e. ]. Cummings is
holding frequent mass meeting and
squirting the men to further activity
against this pernicious measure.
That more men will vote in this cleo
tion than have voted before goes
without saying, for many q good
woman Of Maryland, receiving her
inspiration from these meetings will
insist that her husband or her son
shall at least make that one effectual
effort to Aphoid his manhood right.
And then, DIT Is not so much a re-
Election upon the Negro man, after
all. He is to be congratulated that
his helpmeet is willing to go to the
polls with him and help in this un-
equal struggle. There Is a lesson in
this fight, at once wholesome and
beneficial. Not many OF us need more
effective inspiration than the sight of
these good women meeting night at
ter night, speaking, urging the men
to go to the polls and protect their
homes and their families. 1t is the
daily struggle in the home repeated
on larger scale. We are all famil-
lar with scenes Of the vertest hero
ism ON the part OF the women of our
race. The SACRIFICES they go through
almost daily. in our home life. cer-
tadn1y bsnts Ehemfor such an occa-
sion as th4s. Ons thing remains true
beVeKd the perAaventure OF q doubt,
Democratic Maryland will know that
the MeBrbes we're not DISTINGUISHED
Qf dtsfranchased they be) without a
struggle. st.~ r..
While the amencmenC Is conceived
within the ranks Of the Democratic
Party, it ts by no means to be won
or defeated on strict party lines.
Prominent Dem ocrats oppose it, ma
ny of whom will vote for the Demo
cratic ticket, while In some incense
quential numbers, those republicans
of the Lilly White persuasion openly
favor It,
Hon. Ell Frank, one Of the most
prominent members of the Maryland
bar, and staunch Democrat gave out
an interview to the Baltimore News
Saturday, in which he declared his
Frank spoke out with vtgor against
the amendment, while he will sup
port the Democratic ticket. Mr..
FranW spoke out with vigor against
the amendment and presented clear
and forceful reasons why he consid.
ers 1t a measure that should not be
adopted by the people Of Maryland.
He said:
Il am opposed to the gjraus amend
ment and shall vote against it, al
though / shall support the Democrat
tc candidates.
Il should be inclined to support
proper educational or property
qualification Of universal application.
Il am opposed to the policy OF impos-
ing restr1cttons on persons Of any
race simply because they belong to
that race and without regard to their
qualifications as individuals. Such
policy ts unjust and undemocratic.
Moreover, the proposed amend.
ment, Is In my opinion, In violation of
the Fifteenth Amendment of the Fed
erai constitution. Whatever may
have been the method Of the passage
or that amendment, and however
mistaken may have been the purpose
and intent Of those who urged It's
passage, 1T has come to stay, and ia
destined to become one of the great
est bulwarks Of our rights and lib
critics.
I'm this great country, made I'D of
30 many different nationalities and
races, the political and civil rights OF
no one Of those races, as a race, ought
ever to be at tho mercies of the 9th
ers. NOW it JIG the Negro and the i'm.
migrant since 1904 who are to be dis
eliminated against. Who may come
next?
IF 1t Is ever excusable to violate
the supreme law Of the Hand, it can
be only In the presence of the most
1mperious necessity. Tt cannot be
commended that such necessity exists
IN state where less than oneJffth
Of the total electorate consists Of Ne
groes, and where that Negro vote has
so often rendered possible the tri
umph Of good government and OF
financial honesty. Indeed, as has