The Democratic advocate., 1909-09-24
SUFFRAGE AMENDMENT
ATTORNEY-GENERAL STRAUS PLAIN
STATEMENT OF ITS PROVISIONS
VIII Not DISiranChISc A Single White
Man in Maryland

stand its provisions we give below
the statement of Attorney-Ge
Stratus, who prepared the bill:
SO many statements have been
made about the proposed suffrage
amendment that plain and accurate
explanation of its provisions is due
to the people.
.It was framed in compliance with
a leading pledge on which the Demo-
cracy carried the State election OF
1907, under full publicity and after
protracted hearings and discussions
by a conference, including a number
of the leading lawyers and citizens OF
Maryland. Among these we're the
late William Pinlkney White, Cover
nor Crothers, Mr.. Bernard Carter, ex-
Governor Smith, Ex-Governor Brown,
Senator Isidor Rayner, Mr.. Marbury,
Mr.. Barton, ex-Attorney-G Generals Poe
and Bryan, Judge Henry, Senator Ar
thur German, Colonel Schley, Mr,
Miles, Senator Lee, Senator Robinson,
Mr.. Gull, Mr.. Bonsal congressman
Talbot, Gill and Coyingron, States
Attorney Owens, ex-Comptroller
Smith, Senator Brewington, Mr.. Pc
ter, Mr.. Field and Mr.. Mitchell. act
ed as chairman.
"All OF these gentlemen, except
Governor Whyte--of whom death has
bereft US, but whose great wisdom.
experience and patriotism guided and
aided us all in the preparation OF the
proposed measure--and except Messrs.
Gull end Bonsal. are now as earnestly
in favor of the amendment as when
submitted to the Legislature. Messrs.
Gull and Bonsal pledged their support
to the amendment upon condition that
the General Assembly should pass 2
satisfactory Corrupt Practices Act and
Primary Election law for the whole
State They both, / understand, were
satisfied with the Corrupt Practices
act, but not with the Primary Election
law which was passed for the coun-
ties. No one can deny their right 70
determine this matter for themselves.
"It cannot be denied that the Pri-
mary EelectIon law for the counties,
which itself embraces the Corrupt
Practices act, has been a vast I'M
provement over old primary methods,
has furnished honest and fair pri-
maries under the sanction Of law, and
has unquestionably aided In putting
the Democratic party where II is today
In Maryland, on the basis Of the di-
rect vote or Crawford county system
of nominations | submit, therefore,
to the impartial public that the Pri-
mary Election law, though II ought
to be improved, suggests no reason
for opposition 70 the amendment.
Every one OF the able lawyers who
constructed the amendment bent him
self to the task OF freeing II from the
objections which we're urged against
Il and led many OF them 10 oppose the
amendment submitted In 1905. They
Iabored TO make their handiwork a
perfectly direct, straightforward and
honest measure, which while contain
Ing every legal provision they could
think OF to secure absolutely the bal
lot to every white citizen, both native
and foreign born, In the State, and 20
prevent any abuse in Its administra-
ton, should be directed to the single
and exclusive object of taking the suf-
frage away from the thousands OF
illiterate and thriftless negroes until
they shall acquire either the limited
amount Of property or education and
intelligence prescribed for them by
the amendment
"The grave and urgent reasons why
the elective franchise should thus be
taken away from 10000 or 10000 out
of the 10000 negro voters In this
State are too plain for discussion.
These 10000 or 10000 illiterates. who
were given the suffrage by naked
fraud and violence under despotic mil
itary tyranny and coercion and not
in accordance with any Of the pre-
cedents or traditions of civil liberty
or free government, are admitted by
almost every civilized person, North
and South and at home and abroad,
to be totally and utterly unfit for t.
Maryland is the only community on
the whole face Of the earth where
these unfortunate beings are permit
ted to vote or to take part IN the gov
ernment and rule OF white men. The
people of Maryland stand all alone
under the burden OF this indefensible
evil, put upon them against the protest
which they overwhelmingly expressed
at the polls in 1870.
Under the amendment the negro
who himself or whose wife pays taxes
on $500 worth Of property or who
can pass the educational test, or who
was entitled to vote anywhere In the
United States on or before January
/, 1869, or is descended from one who
was so entitled, may vote. The door
is closed to ignorance. illiteracy and
shiftlessness, but open, as ex-Gover.
nor Warheld recommended II should
be, to intelligence or thrift on the
negro's part.
"The amendment, II passed, will
not take the suffrage away from one
single white voter in this State
Neither the educational nor the prop.
erty test applies TO any native or nat.
uralized citizen or their descendants
This is SO because the tests do not ap,
ply to any native citizen who was en-.
titled to vote in Maryland or any other
State OF the Union on or before Janu.
airy /, 1869 nor to any foreign horf
and naturalized citizen who was en-.
titled to vote in Maryland or any othe,
State Of the Union on or before Jan.
uary /, 1869; nor to the descendants
OF any such native or foreign-borr
and naturalized citizen; nor to ans
foreign-born citizen at any time be.
tween January ], 1863, and the date
of the adoption Of the proposed amend.
ment; nor to the descendants OF any
such foreign-born and naturalized
citizen. So that all native citizens
who voted on or before January
1869, and all their descendants and ali
foreign-born citizens natnralized al
any time, no matter how long ago OF
how recently, before the adoption Of
the amendment and all their descend.
ants have the right to vote without
the tests and entirely regardless oI
them. Every person will at once ses
that this includes all classes OF oul
white citizens, without omitting any
So that every white citizen OF Mary,
Ias< both native and naturalized, who
now "a the right to vote and aist
all NI ..aY become naturaIized be.