Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-09
Crothers Will Not Approve Dis
REIMBURSEMENT in Maryland.
SYMPATHIZES WITH INTENT
Believes Enactment Would Be Gen
orally Misrepresented.
WILL BRING MATTER TO ISSUE
Wants Applicability of the Fiji
teenth Amendment to State Elec-
tons Decided by the Courts.

BALTIMIRE. April 9.-Gov Crothers
has determined to withhold his approval
from the Digges bills. He has made the
following statement of his position:
Il have endeavored to give to this Ques-
| ton the serious consideration which its
gravity and importance demand.
Il have always thought that the grant
| ing of the unrestricted right of suffrage
to the African race in this country was a
dreadful blunder: that it was great
| wrong to both races, being the cause, and,
| in this state. as well in the other
rsouhern states, the only cause. of irrita-
| ton and friction between the two races.
therefore approach the consideration of
these bills with every disposition to give
them my approval
Most of the arguments which have been
Observation-Disclosures in somewhat noisy
and Incorporate fashion-in opposition to
these measures, have seemed to me 10
have little merit. For instance. ! cannot
| find any warrant in law for the fear eX-
pressed by some that the doubt as to the
constitutional validity of the registration
law would occasion business distuI Dances.
The law, especially in this state, is well
settled to the effect that even where an
election is held to be void all official acts
of those holding under such election are
legally valid in every respect until the
vacant and the vacancy has been filled.
Neither do | find any Justification for
the criticism that the law is so framed
as to prevent the testing of its constitu-
tional validity in the courts. The proVi-
s!ons Of section % and section 33B, as
printed prior to its introduction. were
carefully omitted from the law as enacted.
The purpose of this act. as stated by its
author, Mr.. DiggeS. was to raise in
proper and orderly way the question of
the validity of the fifteenth amendment
10 the federal Constitution. and the fur
Their question whether assuming said
amendment to be valid and to have been
validity adopted. it should be construed
10 apply to state elections. With this
purpose | have the heartiest sympathy
Deems Denunciation Unjust.
1T seems to me that the people who
are most afflicted with this perpetual race
issue in politics have right to have this
question settled and feel constrained to
say that I deem it most unjust, in fact,
little less than an outrage upon decency,
that they should be denounced as they
have been by some because of the eX-
preston which they have given to this de-
sire In the passage of these bills.
That is the way | feel about this mat
ter. Nevertheless, after the maturest re-
Election / have come to the conclusion
that it would not be proper to enact this
from the Supreme Court of the United
States upon the question of it's constitu-
tionaf validity. | feel that such action on
our part might be regarded putting the
fiance toward the federal government,
that il would be generally misunderstood
and misrepresented and might do our
people and the people of the south gener-
ally much harm.
Will Withhold Signature.
Il shall therefore withhold my signature
from these bills At the same time l shall
request the Attorney General, if 1t meets
with his approval, acting in behalf of the
state and in obedience to the wish of its
people, as expressed and manifested in
the passage of these bills by a ajority Of
more than three-fifths OF BOTH houses Of
the general assembly, to take occasion at
the first opportunity TO bring this ques-
ton to an issue in the courts.
What we desire to Go is not to raise
any question as to the validity OF the
laws which have been enacted in the
states of the south all of which have
been framed upon the assumption of the
validity of the fifteenth amendment. For
il Is far from our desire to disturb the
settlement of this question, which has
been effected in those states. Our desire,
on the contrary, is to raise only the ques-
ton of the validity of the fifteenth
amendment itself, or whether, If valid. IL
applies To state or municipal elections in
a legal and orderly way.
Action Under Present Law.
An adverse decision on this question
would not disturb the existing situation
I'm the south in the least. 1t seems TO
me. therefore, that our people have
everything to gain and nothing to lose
by raising the question, and I am ad-
vised that it may bedone even under the
present law.
II am advised that it might seriously
pref JUDGE our case to have the
question presented az It would be
under this bill If il were enacted
INTO law. The act providing for the sub
mission of the constitutional amendment
would become law without my sigma
ture, but ] shall sign it because I am of
the opinion that if held to be constitu-
tional it will prove a most beneficial
measure for both the white and the col
ored people of the state. while the ques-
ton of it's constitutionality may be set
tied in advance of its going into effect
some two years hence, with proceedings
which the Attorney General will insti-
tute.