The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1909-01-21
WILL 1T MEAN BETTER STATE
GOVERNMENT.

electorate. w HGln6E II computes Win
the Federal Constitution or not, this
amendment is dead against the interests
of he white people of Maryland, and
ought to be defeated. If Maryland
wants to purify her electorate, let her
raise education and property qualifica
lions; but if she must, in order to secure
higher standards, admit some of the
thriftless and the propertyless, let her
do it by provisions that are not perma
nent, but temporary. In this respect
let her follow the example of her South
ern neighbors.
The Outlook reason for saying that
the amendment discourages an educated
and thrifty white electorate is because
it permits the white man to vote with
out a property or educational qualitica-
ton. 1t demands of the negro one or
the other. Undoubtedly placing before
the negro the suffrage as a premium on
industry and thrift or on education will
stimulate his ambition, but we see no
objection to this feature. We want
the negro to educate himself and we
want to see him frugal and Industrious.
There are many other spurs to the am
bition of the white man, so that there
is no particular call to deny him the
suffrage if he is illiterate orswithout
property IN order to make him desire
education or to become a property
owner. Foreigners who come into the
Stste after the adoption of the amend
ment must comply with its require
ments.
But, admitting the soundness of our
contemporary argument, it is not
necessary for opposing negro disfran-
chisement in Maryland The plan be-
came popular with the leaders of the
Democratic party when a revolt of the
independent voters of the State turned
them out of power in 1895. Senator
German then called for the elimination
of the negro, and the desire to get rid
of him has been growing ever since.
The t,nception of the movement was
politics, and the majority of those who
are now active in the propaganda are
animated by political reasons.
The Democrats have been in power
at Annapolis for more than forty
years with the exception of the term
of Governor Lowndes. During that
time occasions have been rare when
they could not put upon the statute
books Of the States any law they saw
fit. Negro suffrage is not responsible
for any bad laws from which the State
has suffered. Negro suffrage is not
responsible for refusal to enact any
good law the state has been denied.
What has negro suffrage got to do with
such fraudulent scheme for giving the
Democratic bosses power to chose a
United States Senator as is the law
providing for sO-called direct Sena-
torial primary? The House of Dele
gates that enacted it had II Democratic
and but 80 Republican members, while
in the Senate there were II Democrats,
9 Republicans and l Fusion, giving the
Democrats a majority of 48 on joint
ballot. Is there any reason in the
world to believe that the State would
have had a f5irer law if there were not
black man within its borders? At
least here vas one political fight in
which the negro could not interfere. 1t
was a contest between Democrats. Yet
the leaders could not gain their consent
to give the State anything better than
fraudulent perversion of direct pri-
mary.
When we glance back at the Demo-
cratic majoriues in the Legislature for
the last Is years we see that they
have had the votes to enact what legis-
lation they pleased to enact and to re-
fuse to enact what legislation they did
not wish to enact, except during the
time of the Lowndes administration.
In 1890 the Legislature stood: Sen
ate, Is Democrats, 8 Republicans;
House, SO Democrats, 80 Republicans.
Democratic majority on joint ballot, At.
In 1892: Senate, % Democrats, Re-
publicans; House, 81 Democrats, Re-
puclicans, Fusions. Democratic ma
jority on joint ballot, 80.
In 1894: Senate, q Democrats, 5 Re-
pubhcans; House, GO Democrats, SO
Republicans Democratic majority on
Joint ballot, 81.
In 1896 and 1898 the Republicans were
in majority in the Legislature as a
result of the revolt against the German
Rasin machine.
In 1900: Senate, Is Democrats, II Re-
publicans; House, IS Democrats, 26 Re
publicans. Democratic majority on
joint ballot, AZ.
There was no change in relative
strength of the parties in 1904.
In 1906: Senate, 10 Democrats, 8 Re-
pubicans,sl Fusion; House, 81 Demo-
Gratis, 46 Republicans, 2 Independents.
Democratic majority on joint ballot, II.
1t will be seen, therefore, that, with
the exception of the years 1896 and
1908, the Democrats have had absolute