Maryland independent., 1909-07-23
ANNAPOLIS SHOWED IT UP

In the municipal election which
took place in Annapolis last week the
people of Maryland have been shown
how the Straus disfranchising amend
ment will work if enacted and put
into practice.
Annapolis therefore is entitled to
the credit Of furnishing to the uuin-
formed the practical operation of the
proposed infamous law.
The ordinary vote cast in past
municipal elections has been 1900
but at this election only 800 votes
were polled.
A recent new registration was held
in that city under which ont of 700
colored voters only 46 met with the
registration requirements and cast
their ballots.
@Thus the law was well conceived
to carry out the purpose to deprive a
section of the voters Of the franchise.
At the time of the registration there
were several foreign-born voters, or
descendants of such, who were de-
prived of the privilege of enrolment
This also shows how the State
amendment would work, as that in-
srument, whether designed or other
wise, places all sorts of handicaps in
the way of the foreign-born voter.
aThe Annapolis election farce was
such a palpable travesty on the full
and free exercise of the voting privi-
lege that the election law of the state
now provides as to disgust all persons
who do not want to have set mp such
voting oligarchies throughout Mary
land. Several persons who had been
denied the right to register applied
for the ballot and were, of course,
denied. Thus the ground has been
secured for contesting the Annapolis
law before the courts, as the validity
of the act of the legislature is denied
by some of the foremost lawyers Of
the state. Ii is believed the legality
OF the Grandfather's Clause will 6nd
a hearing, and that the decision o.
the courts will set at rest the ques
ton whether or not such a claust
adopted for the state generally woulG
have constitutional warrant.
~The object lesson in depriying q
section of the people of their rights
and of jeopardizing the rights Of
other classes does not reflect credit
upon those who would seek to impose
such a condition upon the State Of
Maryland This state, that shoult
be seeking in every way to demon
strate intelligence and capability ii
threatened with handieaps of the
severest kind through the selfish and
overzealous efforts of the Democrat,
leaders to fasten upon ii the stigms
of distinctions in the franchise, not
inherent in its political conditions
Marylanders will not support such {
proposal. They will repudiate any
and every effort to have the state be
lie its history at the behest of part.
san greed for Office. Annapolis is
now a one-party city. Maryland re-
fuses to have similar classification
Those who take note of the fact that
the Democrats elected their candidate
for mayor in Annapolis by a large
majority, unwarranted by the numeri-
cal differences of the parties, will see
how the state would fare
This method of depriving large
number of voters from such right
is clearly unconstitutional and it is
hoped that case testing this law will
be soon brought before the Courts and
Unnecessary carried up to the Supreme
Court of the United States.
The result of the election clearly
and markedly carries out the state
ments of the Republicans that the
Straus amendment will make this I
one party State. And again not only
will it make a one party State but
bossed Democratic party, wherein {
a coterie of Democratic politicians
will enjoy the privilege of naming
candidates from chosen few and re
ceiying other munifcent benefits.
The result Of this election is
trayesty upon the rights and Iibertie
of the people. Every voter SHOULD
weigh we'll the facts before voting
for sach measure for its passag
would mean a calamity to all futur
desire of good government.