New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-08-10
TINE TO CALI 4 HIATT

oklahoma seems TO pride itself on
freakish innovations in politics. 1t has
been an experiment station where Ill
sorts Of bizarre and eccentric ideas have
been thrown into the hopper But il is
! beginning 10 abuse the patience Of the
rest of the country. p, AT the recent
special election. at which an amendment
Ia the state constitution establishing
ancestral qualifications for the suf-
frage was voted upon. the Legislature
facilitated the adoption of the amend
ment by giving instructions to the cleo
ton officers which have no parallel in
American practice The officials ut all
the polling places were directed 10 count
in favor of ratification all ballots except
those marked i'm 4 certain manner.
Every ballot used contained at the bot
tom. under Il proper caption. the words
For the Amendment" In order 10
vote against the amendment the
elpctor was required to mark the letter
NJ across those words with = pencil.
II he simply drew 4 line through the
words. wrote No on the edge Of the
paper. used a pen or Il stencil in writ
Ing or touched the caption in any way.
ia spite Of his manifest intention 10 eX-
press his diSapproval his vote WIS 10 be
counted. not as void. hut as in favor of
the amendment. Those who did not
touch that part Of the ballot at all were
held 10 have voted for il Negative ac-
ton Of a single sort was required TO
make a ballot count in opposition. All
81 her action. ~ we'll as inactjon. WAS
construed rs affirmation.
The directions of the Legislature vio-
lated the principle of equal rights They
were also contrary TO AL American
r7ecedentS The federal Constitution
requires affirmative action on the part
e ;hree-fourths of the states TO ratify
- constitutional amendment. States
which do not vote are counted. not for.
Tut against an amendment. IT has also
been the established custom of the
states when amendments to their con
SfitutionS are submitted 10 require those
who favor ratification TO mark their
ballots rs well aS those who favor re-
lection and the ballots of those who
do not care 10 vote either, WAY are not
taken into account. II was a strange
and improper discrimination on the part
of the 0liaho Legislature 10 give so
great an advantage 80 the affirmative
side and it was an evident usrlrpation
Of power To direct not only that ballots
liot marked at all should he counted in
the affirmative but that ballots incor
rpctly marked in tile negative should lie
added bodily to the affirmative total. 4
majority Of about twenty thousand is
reported for the ancestry" amendment.
But there * no certainty that a major
ity of the voters either wanted it or
voted for it,
Oklahoma's present state administra-
ton. though calling itself Democratic
and protesting respect for Democratic
ideas. has been conspicuouslr Iawlnss
and despotic. II has tried 10 falsifv the
pledges given by the state when il WAS
admitted and 10 nullify the provisos of
the admission act The Governor re-
Gently removed the state caDital bv
stealth from Guthrie 10 Oklahoma City.
although the enabling act f0rbids The
holding Of an election to decide the
question OF removal until after 1913.
The enabling act aSo bound the state
hei to pass any law or adont any con
stitutional amendment restricting the
suffrage on grounds Of race. color or
previous condition oT servitudf. Yet
tlie Legislature not only submitted :,
suffrage amendment which dfSrriuj-
rates against I'll negroes who owing fo
their condition Of seryifudc. had not al
tanned fhe right 10 vote prior fo Janu-