The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1909-01-15

/ This IS we'll expressed 10 the famll
l5ar statement Of the late Senator FIoar
I Of Massachusetts,: The SUFFRAGE wa
conferred on the negro ~ the South
ern States themselves They can al
ways make their own rules If the ne.
gro be ignorant, you may define ignor.
ance and disfranchiBe that. II the
negro be vicious, you may define vice
and diBfranchise that II the Negro
be poor, you may define poverty and
diafranchise that. II the negro Be
idle, you may deiine ldleness and dis.
franchise that If the negro be lazy
you may define iaziness and dlsfran-
chise that. II you Will only diBfran-
chise him for the qualities which you
say UNIT him TO vote and not for hls
race or the color OF his skin there ID
no constitutional obstacle in your
way"
The proposed amendment was care
fully drawn BY committee OF seven
lawyers who had IN mind the con-
stitutiona problem; and after II was
drawn by them II was submitted first
TO larger committee and then to the
General Assembly. Certain altera-
lions were made In the original draft
Of the amendment.
Candor compels me 70 say that IN
my opinion the proposed amendment
was In a more satisfactory legal shape
than Il Is at present, when Il was pre-
scented BY the committee which drafted
II, and that the changes made In Il
we're III advised, stu, In It's present
shape II Is as have said. an honest,
STRAIGHTFORWARD measure. which can
be and must be honestly administered,
and II Is worth while for the people
OF this State TO pass II and endeavor
70 uphold II In the Supreme Court.
II that high tribunal should set the
amendment aside, Il would probably
have TO point out wherein II was de-
fectiye, and the people OF Maryland
could then pass another measure
avoiding that defect.
There is an inaccnracy IN Judge
Taft's letter to Mr.. Stone into which
is was very natural for even q learn
ed and able lawyer who had not close.
~ studied the question to fall.
After correctly stating that accord
Ing 10 the terms Of the amendment the
ilrst class Of eligible voters shalt be
those persons who on the 3rHt day Of
January in the year Of 1869 or prior
thereto were entitled TO vote under
the laws OF Maryland or any other
State OF the United States wherein
they resided. and that the male des-
cendAnte 81 this class constituted the
second class OF eligible voters and that
the third and fourth classes OF such
eligible voters included foreign born
citizens Of the United States natural
4m.sA 1EEn - -
date of the adoption Of the amendment,
and the male descendants Of such
last mentioned persons and that these
four classes are exempt from the
property and educational analifica-
lions. Judge Taft then inadvertently
and incorrectly adds Now We know
that the firAt four classes include no
negroes at all In other words. Il ID
intended 10 free the whites from cdu.
cational or property qualifications, hut
10 subject al negroes to them"
While u Ia undoubtedly true that
The amendment II passed. will require
the vast majority Of the negroes "a
Maryland to poasems either the prop
erty or the educational qualifications
prescribed. II Is a mistake 10 say that
the suffrage amendment required ali
negroes 10 do NO. On aud before jan
uary l. 1853, negroes could vote IN q
number OF the New England States
and under the reconstruction c0nRti.
tutiona adopted In 1868 negroes on
January I. 1869, residing In North Car.
oliBa. Georgia. Florida. Arkansas Ala.
hama, Mississippi, Louisiana aud Ter.
na. could vote. Any negroes now re-
siding here or who IN 1868 resided IN
any OF the above States, and all male
descendants OF such negroes could
vote under Whist II commonly called
the 'grandfather's clause" In the pro.
posed amendment
II II true that this circumstance
which Judge Taft overlooked when
writing 10 Mr. Stone, has possibly
but slight political significance, na the
number OF such negroes IL small: Il
may, however, have considerable legal
effect " the amendment II passed and
gcta before tho Federal courts
There Ia one political matter IN con.
nection with the amendment which
should be- considered BY all Of Us. and
that IL, whether the independent vote
OF the State will be unwilling 70 aanisl
In passing the amendment from fear
OF making this onesparty State and
Of making the management OF tbs
Democratic party too powerful
Ono way 10 lesson this danger IN foi
the Democratic party In making ia
nominations and In conducting this
coming campaign 70 10 &C. az 10 wiz
public confidence.
And in this connection Il II proper
10 say that In indofslnK the re-alec.
ton OF Judge Dohler. Mr. John J. Ma.
hon did wise and broad-minded
thing which strengthened the chances
OF passing this amendment.
With beat wishes for the success oi
your dinner and the cause lns@ hicA
you are enlisted am .yourn very truly
WILLIAM SHEPPARD BRYAN.