The Democratic advocate., 1909-09-17
WAKEFIELD FAVORS
THE AMENDMENT
THINKS NATIVE AND FORETGN-BORN
WHITE VOTERS AMPLY PROTECTED
Will Stimulate Negroes to Higher
Education and Greater Industry

Ex-Governor Wartield, In an inter-
view In the Baltimore Sun OF Wednes-
day, declares himself in favor Of the
suffrage amendment. Mr.. Warfield OPP
posed the Poe amendment, and his ad-
vocacy of the present amendmentit Il is
believed will greatly strengthen that
measure with the independents and
the occasional" Democrats. The i'm
terview follows
Questionable people Of Maryland
are anxious to learn your position,
Governor. on the pending suffrage
amendment, knowing that you were
q potent factor In the defeat Of the
Poe amendment in 1905. VIII you
support or oppose the present amend
ment !!
Ex-Governor Warfleld--I heartily
support the present amendment and
shall vote for Il and use my influence
for It, 1 could not do anything else
without stultifsing myself and going
back on my whole political record.
which have endeayered to make alb
solutely consistent
This amendment is d substantial
compliance with what have always
advocated. II is not too much 10 say
that in its essential features, II Is
drawn along the precise lines that
suggested in my last message 10 the
Legislature, In January, 1908.
In that message, referring at length
to the public demand for a suffrage
amendment for the elimination OF the
ignorant, unrenecting and thriftless
negro voter" ! declared that this
State should be governed by those
citizens who, because Of their intel
ligenee, their heredity and their inter-
est In the material welfare OF the
Commonwealth, are best fitted to
properly, patrioticaily and wisely ex-
eFcise the high duties OF citizenship
! added that the supposed amendment
should protect the citizen who voted
In 1869 and HIS descendants. because
that was q sacred privilege then en-
joyed by the white citizens of this
State" and that the foreign born
naturalized citizen should be given
similar protection, because he be-
came a citisen upon the express guar
antee that II he met certain require
ments he would be entitled to citizen
ship"
/ suggested, also. that this amend
ment should contain, as an Alterna-
tive right to vote, "an educational
qualification, such as ability TO make
out the application for registration IN
writing, In English, and 70 write from
dictation a section Of the Declaration
Of Independence. the Constitution OF
the United States. or the Constitution
OF the State of MARYLAND
The property qualification In the
present amendment was also embod-
led in my recommendation IN the same
message, that another class OF per-
sons should be given the right OF sun
rage--thosc who have a material In
terest In the welfare Of the Common
wealth, who pay taxes, and thus aid
In defraying the expenses OF the
State and local government ! said.
In conclusion. that Fan amendment
drafted On these lines will, / think.
meet with the approval Of the people.
certainly with my support"
Previous Utterances.
desire to emphasize. in this con-
nection, that this is no new attitude
on my part toward this question and
tBtAh lhig fOSDiu OH AtAA1 huUltLb nhE
been one of unvarying consistency.
The people OF Southern Maryland and
the Eastern Shore counties, where the
ignorant negro vote Is so large as TO
threaten white supremacy and good
government, have always had my most
earnest sympathy, and have always
stood ready to come to their aid by
every proper and legitimate method.
In my speech OF acceptance OF the
Democratic nomination for Governor
Of Maryland In 1903 I declared In ia
yor of eliminating the ignorant and
thriftless negro voter In Maryland
and upon that declaration was
elected, In my inaugural address ]
recommended the passage OF consti-
tutional amendment that would IN a
fair way carry out the pledge Of my
party and put in effect the solemn
declaration | had made before the
election
But the Democrats. composing three
fifths Of the Legislature OF 1904, In de-
fianca of my advice and protest, pass
ed an amendment Of the most danger
GUS character, one which / could not
support, for the reasons given at the
time. Ny views were approved by the
people, and the Poe amendment was
defeated Overwhelmingly In 1905
Still believing that 1t would be for the
best interests OF the state and the well
fare Of the negro to have him become
voter through his frugality, thrift
and intelligence, favor the adoption
Of the present amendment, which will
give him the franchise through these
channels
As to Registration Officers.
Question--Do you believe, Governor
that the dangerous powers conferred
on registration officers by the Poe
amendment are conferred by the pres
ent amendment
Ex-Governor Warfield-Most GER
tainly not Their powers VIII be no
greater than they are now The
duties of the registration officers will
be purely ministerial. They will
have no arbitrary power or discretion.
All statements to the contrary are
Misrepresentation and the Republi-
cans will injure their own cause by
such misstatements. The require
ments OF qualification are definitely
set out In the amendment. II a man
cannot come under the four leading
requirements be can qualify under
one of the remaining tWo--property
or educational One great advantage