The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-08-13
TAKE AWAY HIS VOTE
MARYLAND DEMOCRATS SEEK To
KEEP NEGRO FROM POLLS.
State Convention Convened at Balti-
more Today; Number of Things
Are Wanted By Governor Austin
L. CrOthers, Who Is One of the
Delegates; Is Against Woman Stuff
rage; Corrupt Practice Act.
Especial to The Free Press.l

Baltimore, Aug ll-With the
meeting of the democratic state con
vention in Baltimore today, Maryland
is again experiencing the joys afford
ed by the political game. Governor
Austin l.. Crothers is one of the dele
gates from Anne Arundel to the con-
vention, and has sounded a clarion
note that is to be the battlecry of the
campaign. Among the measures ad-
vocated by Governor Crothers are:
A democratic house of delegates
to cooperate with him in carrying on
the constructive policy of his admin.
istration.
A public utilities commission bill.
Legislative extravaganza to be cor.
rected by law
Laws based on reports of the com.
missions he appointed.
The Crawford county provisions of
the primary election law to be made
mandatory instead of optional.
Senatorial Primary Election.
The United States senatorial pri.
mary election law to be changed SO
that the candidate receiving the larg-
est number of votes be elected, and
the expense to the candidates be ma
terially lessened so as to allow men
without great means to run for the
office
The corrupt practices act to be
strengthened by changes.
The oyster culture law to be chang
ed to meet needs shown by expert
ence.
the vicious and illiterate negro voter.
The minority party of the legis-
lature to be allowed to name its own
members of the committees which
consider political questions
The governor also expresses his dis.
approved of woman suffrage.
The Negro Vote
1t is likely that the elimination of
the negro vote will be one of the most
important issues of the political bat
tie. Three suits for $1,000 damages
each have already been instituted in
the United States circuit court against
The democratic registers of voters in
Annapolis, by negroes of that city,
who allege that they have been I'M
lawfully DISTINGUISHED by the regis
tiers, are expected to determine the
validity of what is known as the
grandfather clause" of the act of the
Legislature of 1908, describing the
qualifications of voters in Annapolis.
What the Law Prescribes.
The following qualifications pre-
scribed for voters by the act are al
legged to be unconstitutional and void
in SO far as they affect or profess to
affect the right to vote of any citizen
by reason of his or his ancestors
race, color, or previous condition of
servitude: Taxpayers assessed for at
least $500; naturalized citizens, and
their male children who have reached
the age of twenty -one years, and citi-
zens who prior to January l, 1868,
were entitled to vote in Maryland or
any other state at state election,
and their lawful male descendants.
Contrary to Constitution.
The prohibition contained in the
last requirement, it is contended, is
contrary to and forbidden by the Con-
stitution and laws of the United
States, and more especially to the
fifteenth amendment to the Consti-
tuition. Under the Constitution and
laws of the United States, it is said,
all citizens of the United States, who
are otherwise qualified to vote, shall
be entitled to do so without distinc-
ton of race, color or previous condi-
ton of servitude.