Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-03-26
BAN ON NEGRO VOTE
CoIored Mans Exclusion From
Maryland State Elections.
DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS PLAN
Attack Made on Constitutionality of
Fifteenth Amendment.
BILL TO BE FRAMED AT ONCE
Negroes to Take Part Only in Choice
of Congressmen-Court Con-
test Certain.
BILL TO BE FRAMED AT ONCE

caucus which lasted three hours the
democratic members of the legislature
decided last night to adopt the plan OF
W. Mitchell Digges of Charles county
for the dsfranclTisement Of the negro in
all state and municipal elections. Be
fore the vote was taken on the measure
nearly every member of the caucus ex-
pressed his views on the plan and APP
proved 1t.
The plan is a bold and fearless one and
will undoubtedly raise widespread dis
cussion throughout the country, as it is
based on the theory that the fifteenth
amendment to the Constitution of the
United States is invalid in Maryland.
Although Maryland rejected this
amendment when it was proposed. for
forty years it has acquiesced in its pro-
visions and permitted negroes to vote.
On two occasions the democratic party
has made unsuccessful attempts to have
adopted constitutional amendments elm
mating the illiterate and unthrifty negro
from politics. Believing now that it is
impossible to pass sucn an amendment,
the advocates Of suffrage restricted to
white men alone decided that the state
should meet the issue boldly and adopt a
Details to Be Worked Out.
While there is no doubt that every
democratic member Of the legislature
will support the measures, many details
remain to be worked out. The PROPOSE
ton will be put up to the city members.
a number Of whom were absent from the
caucus, as to including Baltimore city
lon Of VI
municipal election. The terms of the
present city officials expire in May, 1911,
and in order for the city to take advan-
tage of the proposed change in registra-
ton it is urged by the county members
that the legislature shall pass bill eX-
tending their terms until November, 1911.
when they will be elected at the same
time that the governor and other state
officers are chosen.
BY adopting this plan negroes would
not participate in the city election, while.
If it Is not done. CITY eiec,lon VIII oe
under the present law and with the pres
ent registration isis
When the exclusion plan was first sug-
gested there were several democratic
members who were inclined TO oppose IL,
h,t nv the arguments OF William j. Mar
hurry Arthur W. Machen. jr.. and Will
lam l.. Rawls of Baltimore. who were
invited TO the caucus. every one was con-
verified to the plan. The members VINO
made the most urgent speeches. TOT n :
senate. Senator's Price. Frere and Harper
and Delegates Digs, Hammond and
Marbury. Senator Lee. who was chair
man of the caucus. was also an enthuSlas-
tic supporter OF the measures anu Hhaue
q speech for them.
nv the passage of the bills there will be
a new registration throughout the state
in the fall Of 1911. All the present regis
tratfon laws will be repealed. The negro
will be refused registration, and thus VIII
not he able to vote at the general election.
Republicans to Contest.
Not only will the republicans strenuous
ly fight the measures In the lesisiature'
hut they will fight them before the people
and in the courts.
For the next two years the Maryland
plan will be discovered by the newspapers,
ma ga zines and people of the entire coun-
try. 1t will be the principal topic in this
state. Everybody will see that the plan
IL simpIy one for the Acknowledgement of
the negro. for under its provisions every
white man who Is qualified to vote under
the present laws will be able to vote on
n At the election of 1911 the white peO-
nile of the state will also be called upon
- vote upon the constitutional amend
ment prohibiting the legislature from
concerning the right to vote on the negro.
Roth the democratic and republican
parties will have equal representation In
the registration and election offices. Some
of the county members proposed that the
majority party be given two registers OF
Judges and the minority one, but this was
onnosed by the leading supporters of the
hilI. as they feared 1t would raise the
cry that the dominant party would not
give the other a square deal" With the
Massage of the law the registers and
indges. irrespective Of their party aff1lia-
tions. will be compelled to carry out every
one of its features. A register who would
register q negro would have to vacate his
Office.
By the terms of the proposed law the
Wilson ballot law will be repealed. and
the election law will make 1t easy for the
voters all over the state to mark the bal
lots. The democrats say they are op-
posed to the Wilson ballot law. but they
contend that under present conditions il
IL necessary in order that the white peo.