The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1909-10-21

obstacles from without and within
There were many within its own ranks
who did not want the negro advanced
to citizenship; there were those who
were unwilling to see him advanced to
the elective franchise But, happily.
there ere hundreds of thousands who
plainly saw that without the rights of
citizenship his freedom could be main
tanned only in name, and that without
the elective franchise his citizenship
would have no legitimate or substantial
protection.
Mr.. Isidor Rayner's attacks on the
Constitution of his country, and his
threats to substitute the Straus dis
franchising measure for the Fifteenth
Amendment to the Constitution of the
United States is an insult to the brave
men, most of whom have now passed
beyond with the illustrious Lincoln,
who led the Republican party to its
duty and its mission, who overcame the
fore of the Rebellion and the num-
bers of the opposition, who lifted their
associates from the slough of prejudice
and led them out of the darkness of
tradition into the sunlight of human
liberty. To the great men of the great
Republican party let there be all honor
and praise, in spite of the yillifcations
of Mr.. Rayner. They gave hope to the
hopeless, help to the helpless, and tree
dom to the downtrodden. They did
more: they elevated the character and
enlightened the conscience of the op-
pressing race. Mr.. Rayner's threats
indicate that the struggle is not yet
ended, the final battle is not fought;
but complete victory sooner or later is
assured. The three great Amendments
to the Constitution were bought with
great price-even the blood of the slain
and they will assuredly in their letter
and spirit be indicated and enforced.
Abra am Lincoln taught his country
men the lesson that he who would be no
slave must be content to have no slave.
The Democratic party in Maryland and
all its nominees, State, il dicial and
county, must be taught with equal en-
phasiG that he who would preserve his
own right to suffrage must never aid in
deprlving another citizen, however
humble, of the same great boon. In
moral as in physical conflicts it may be
easy to determine who strikes the first
blow, but it is difficult to foresee who
may strike the last.
AS to Mr.. Rayner's boast that 1.-THE
Democratic party is not afraid of the
courts in connection with the Straus
amendment, this utterance like his pre-
dlction that the Maryland courts will
uphold the Straus amendment in the
teeth of the Constitution of the United
States, is an insult to every decent and
law-abiding citizen in the State. Mr..
Rayner evidently makes this prediction
in view of the fact that the courts of
Maryland. and especially the Court of
Appeals, are overwhelmingly Demo-
cratic-the latter tribunal containing
only one Republican. 1t is well that
Mr.. Rayner se.ves this warning of
what he expects the Democratic courts
to do. 1t simply furnishes an additional
reason, if any were necessary, why the
Republican party must and will have
adequate representation on the bench
of the Court of Appeals, and holds forth
an unanswerable argument for the de-
feat of every nominee on the Demo-
cratic ticket who fails to declare him
self against the Straus amendment.
Published by authority of C. Edgar
Keller, Chair man of the Republican
State Central Committee of Allegany
county.