Milford chronicle., 1909-10-08
RENT BY WAR
OVER DISFRANCHISEMENT

Maryland will not elect a Cover
nor this fall, but the suffrage
amendment, which the Democrat:
have made the paramount issue o.
the campaign, is stirring up a NOR,
bitter fight than if a full ticker
were in the field.
Negro domination" is buga.
boo which the Democratic mana
gers are using to whip their voters
into line, while the Republicans,
with the cooperation Of all the
elements opposed to the Democratic
machine, realizing that the adop-
ton of the amendment will make
the machine supreme, are calling
attention to the evils Of the lone
party" state.
In making the suffrage amend
ment, designed to disfranchise the
negroes in this state, the issue of
this campaign, the Maryland Demo-
Gratis are taking desperate chances.
They have antagonized so many
elements, especially in Baltimore,
that unless conditions change ma
terially between this and Novem-
ber they will lose the election.
If the amendment could have
been so framed as to hit only the
negro, it would probably have been
adopted by the usual Democratic
majority, but to avoid any conflict
with the fifteenth amendment it
was necessary to broaden its scope
i'll order not to make the discrim-
inatiOn so apparent.
A provision was therefore incor-
pOrated which placed all unnatura-
llzed persons and their descendants
who were not citizens at the time
Of the amendment in the same cate
CORY as the negroes. That is to
say, they would be obliged to sub
NIT 10 an educational test or possess
a property qualification before be-
ing permitted to register.
FOREIGN VOTERS OPPOSE.
This clause has aroused the an
tagonism Of the foreign-born voters, |
who sympathize with their rela-
tives and friends not in the privil- !
eyed class and resent being singled |
out and placed on the same footing |
with the blacks. Taking advantage |
Of this feeling, the Republican |
leaders promptly encouraged the
to voice their opposition,
and worked up a sentiment against
the Democratic party which the
is unable TO overcome.
An Organizatihn known as the
Foreign Born Citizens League has
been formed, in which is represent
ed every nationality, and which is
under Republican auspic-
IS. This has an active membership
Of nearly 5000. An executive
committee. composed of the chair
nan of each nationality, is the
directing body, and Sigmund Step
lans, an influential Lithuanian, is
president.
Elements almost as influential
ire fighting the amendment from
mother quarter. The independent
Democrats object because Of the
eason that its adoption would de-
)rive them OF the balance of power.
They contend that the elimination
If more than $4,000 negro voters
would result in making Maryland
me party state and restore the con-
litions obtaining prior to 1895,
When the elections were 50 conduct
d as to result in a political revolu-
ion.
Some of the most prominent
awyers, notably Major Richard NJ.
ENABLE, Archibald H. Taylor, Ed
yard H. Cans and Edwin G. Baet-
er, all Democrats, insist that the
mendment Is unconstitutional,
nd if passed upon by the Supreme
,ourt would nullify the acts of the
ther southern states, in which the
are very different, and
there, it is argued, the people are
lstifed in DISTINGUISHING the negro.
IeTe, they contend, where the
olored vote is only 20 per cent Of
ne entire electorate, there is no fear
I negro domination, and therefore
o necessity for drastic legislation.
TEACHING THE NEGROES.
Hard hit though the amendment
lay be and severely as it is criti-
zed, the Democratic leaders ex-