The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1910-03-17
MARYLAND DEMOCRATS
ARE IN DESPERATE NEED
Hence Their Resort to Another Dis
reimbursement Amendment.

realize that they are in desperate straits
and to win this year and next year,
when a governor, an attorney general,
a state comptroller and a Legislature
will be chosen, they must extend their
DISTINGUISHING laws. Hence the serious
consideration which they are giving to
a plan, originally proposed by former
Senator NJ. V. Brewington and support
ed by Southern Maryland Democrats.
headed by Mr.. w. Mitchell Digges, of
Charles county, to refuse to register
negroes at the new general registration
next year.
This is bold step, involving a change
/ in the boards of registry by which the
Democrats will have two and the Re-
publicans one registrar. 1t is an open
defiance of the Constitution of the
United States, as bold and daring as
was the Modification advocated by John
c. Calhoun and crushed by President
Andrew Jackson. Far-seeing are the
Maryland Democrats in their holiness,
for they believe t at by the disfran-
chisement Of the negro they will sweep
the state, electing their candidates on
the state ticket and a majority of the
/ two houses OF the General Assembly.
and that their successful candidates will
be strongly intrenched in power before
/ the fragrant violation of the Constitu-
/ ton can reach the United States Su-
/ preme Court. The effect of an adverse
decision of the highest court in the land
on Maryland's election is an aftermath,
bridge to be crossed when it is
reached.
/ All the details of this proposition TO
/ ignore the Constitution of the United
/ States will be discussed by Democratic
/ members of the Senate and House of
Delegates at conference at Annapolis
this week. Behind this conference as
its handspring is the knowledge of the
very pertinent fact that the Democrats
cannot secure the approval of suffrage
amendment in Maryland They have
/ tried twice and twice have they dis
astrously failed. They say that they
will not take the proposed step in the
dark. that they have secured the best
available legal talent and that they
have more than reasonable assurance
/ that the Fifteenth Amendment if test
/ ed before the United States Supreme
+ Court, will be declared to be unconstitu-
( tional.
! However, sorelv tempted are the
/ Democrats, in their determination to
deprive the negro of his vote, to resort
to the plan of refusing to register him,
/ it is by no means certain that they will
/ take the desperate step of committing
/ themselves to it. Their course will be
determined at this weeks conference.
If they decide to reject it they will at
/ the same time decide to pass the legis-
another constitutional amendment next
/ year, While fully realizing the hope
lessness of this course, at the same
time they believe that anEamendment
will Serve for them, if not for anybody
else, useful purpose. 1t will, they be-
lieve, compel the Republicans to con-
centrate their efforts on the defeat of
the proposition, to the neglect of their
candidates, thus making possible the
election of the Democratic candidates
1t will also, they believe, serve another
/ purpose. 1t will contribute to the de-
/ feat of the forthcoming amendment to
increase Baltimore representation in
the General Assembly. They will pass
+ Senator Prices increased representa-
ton bill, but they will not support it at
/ the general election. Democrats argue
that the opponents of the suffrage
amendment will not be able to distin-
/ guish between it and the increased rep
resentation amendment, both of which
will be printed on the ballot In order
! to be sure that their veto work will hit
the bulls eye they will vote against
both propositions.
In fact, the expected happened at
Annapolis last week when the Demo-
Gratis brought forward another suffrage
amendment. The man who stood for it,
Senator Price, of Wicomico, is the floor
leader of his party and more than usual
significance must, therefore, attach to
his connection with the proposition. 1t
was Senator Price who was agreed upon
by his party associates to bring forward
the Baltimore city representation bill,
which met the approval of majority
of the Senate without being submitted
to party caucus, which would have
received its Endorsement, at least that
of a majority of the Democratic sena-
tors, as the vote on the open floor dem
onstrated.
1t is more than probable that the new
amendment will be known as the Price
!.