The Democratic advocate., 1909-02-26
FRANCHISEFORNEGROES
ELIMINATION OF IGNORANT ELEMENT
WOULD HELP REPUBLICAN PARTY
Political Upllit Cannot Flow from
Vicious Sources

A corr spondent of the Baltimore
News writes that paper as follows
THE News doesn't seem to have a
very high opinion of the white voters
of Maryland. In addition to its insis-
tence that without the negro vote to
keep 1t straight, the State would fall
into the arms of the corrupt Demo-
cratic bosses and remain there for
ever, 1t pooh-poohs the idea that the
white vote would divide IL the negro
vote, or rather that portion OF the
negro vote which Is merely driven 10
the polls and counted were eliminated
from the suffrage.
VIII the News admit that Maryland
Is conservative State that the same
causes which swung Connecticut, New
York, New Jersey aud Delaware from
the Democratic to the Republican col
umn operate effectively here. that
from 1892 and 1896, at every national
election, Presidential or Congression-
al, the State gave q Republican plu-
rality on the aggregate vote. that in
seven Congressional elections 20 Re-
publicans were returned and only 13
Dmocrats This looks tolerably indif-
ferent, doesn't II =?
ANgHa VIII NHG NtNS tAUldlu WHY.
with this trend I'm national politics,
Maryland remains firmly Fixed in the
Democratic column at State elections,
while other States, formerly Demo-
cratic, which vote conservatively at
national elections also elect Repub-
lican State officials
There has been large influx of
Northern men into Maryland during
the past two decades; new foreign
element has also come in of which the
Republican party, by some means or
other, has secured rather the larger
share, yet the Republican party is rel
attvely almost as weak now. without
Independent help. as II was 40 years
ago. In 1867. before the negroes
voted, the Legislature was unanimous
~ Democratic. With all the abuses
attendant upon long-continued tenure
Of Office by Democrats. with all the
disaffection due to the rise OF Bryan
ism. with all the reinforcement de-
rived by the Republicans from North
ern and foreign immigration, the Re
publican white vote (estlmated on the
assumption that the negro vote cast
was the same proportion Of the negro
vote registered as che white vote cast),
only succeeded In electing rs members
OF the General Assembly OF 1902, only
ak Of the General Assembly OF 1904:
only IL OF the General Assembly OF
1905. and only II Of the General As
sembly OF 1908.
What cause. save the dependence
OF the Republican party on the negro
vote, has prevented that party from
growing here as II has In other con-
seryatlve States7 Why do thousands
OF white voters support Republicans
for President and for Congress, and
Democrats for Governor and for the
General Assembly,
II seems to the writer rather mean
and cowardly on the part OF the SUI
perior race TO settle the fate OF the
Straus amendment solely on the basis
| OF whether the adoption OF the amend
ment would make Maryland one
party State. II seems to him that the
proper question 10 be considered is
whether or not the ballot is whole
some for the class OF negroes whom 1t
| is proposed To disfrancbise. But II
| there is 20 be no noblesse oblige In
| the business let us at least look at
the one-party motive with intelligent
eyes. Maryland is Southern State.
The sentiment Of It's masses has OF
late been bullied into silence by
the influential Northern element which
has, of late years, dominated It's intel
lectual and social leadership. But, sill
ence doesn't always mean consent. So
| long as Republican campaign speakers
are forced before every election to
haunt back street halls in the negro
wards. limiting that In some unspeci-
fed way the blacks will find II to their
advantage to have the criminal laws
| administered by Republican officials,
/ and 30 long as one out of about every
/ i50 OF the entire negro population
linen women and babes In arms) OF
Baltimore is In Jail, to say nothing
OF those In the Penitentiary, the Aims
house and the House OF Correction,
Maryland will remain virtually a one
| party State.
Remove the ignorant negro ele-
ment from the Republican party, and
/ the causes which made Connecticut,
/ New York and New Jersey Republican
States will at least make the Republi-
can party in Maryland an efficient OPP
position party which II never has been,
and never can be while II is compelled
Il