Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1910-04-01

Year by year. Baltimore city has bee,
growing more populous and Ignorant of O
oblivious to the conditions which prevail
IN Southern Maryland and the Easter
Shore. The sad plight of the neero-ridder
sections of the State is accentuated by 8
growing opposition to the Wilson-law bal
lot, without which negro rule in many Of
these counties would be inevitable.
With these conditions in view, some Of
We ablest and most patriotic LAWYERS in
THIS State have been at work for some time
past endeavoring to formulate plan which
would effectually eliminate the negro from
politics without deprivine any white man
OF his right of franchise.
The Democratic caucus did not DO about
the matter in undue haste. The first meet
ing heard Mr.. Dieees present his plan, and,
after appointing committee to consider
the same in all of its phases, an adjourn
ment was taken until last Thursday night.
The committee desired further time and
postponement was taken until Friday
night, when the caucus met and adopted
the plan unanimously. The propositions,of
law were argued by Messrs. Rowles, Mar
bury and Machen and different phases of
the subject were discussed by the most
prominent members Of the caucus.
Briefly stated, the contention is that the
Fifteenth amendment to the Federal Con-
stitution was beyond the amending power
OF the States and that Maryland, not hav-
ing voted in favorof the Fifteenth Amend
ment, is not estopped from challenging
the validity of the Fifteenth Amendment
AS the Maryland Constitution of 1857
only permits white persons to vote. it is
only necessary to repeal the registration
laws to place Maryland On the white man
basis of government.
That no future legislature shall permit
the negro to vote, new amendment is to
be submitted to the vote of the white peo-
pie of Maryland prohibiting any future
registration of negroes. and also giving
certain constitutional guarantees for sim
piC anu idH CiCCtOH laws.
The SENTINEL is not prepared to pass up
on the legal propositions involved, but it
is in hearty sympathy with the objects
sought to be attained, and is willing to
rely upon the judgment of those Democrats
who are seeking in good faith to restore
unto Maryland white man rule, thorouehly
divorced from the blighting influences of
negro suffrage.
II is contended by some lawyers who
have read the decisions of the Supreme
Court of the United States in the cases
which have arisen as the result of the dis
reimbursement Of the negro in various
southern States that the Supreme Court
will never pass upon the laws to be enacted
in carrying out the Digees plan, as that
court has proven itself to be very much
averse to interfering with matters of a DO
litical character. II is cOntended further
by good lawyers that if the court should
pass squarely upon the matter, it must
sustain the contention of Mr.. Digees to the
effect that the Fifteenth Amendment to
the Federal Constitution is invalid.
However this may be, every observer Of
political conditions in this country for the
past forty years must admit that the en-
reimbursement of the negro was ill-advised
and that his participation in public affairs
is curse to the entire country,
This being true, it would seem to be
highly appropriate that Maryland should
stand upon the rights guaranteed to her
white citizens by the Constitution of 1867
and test the validity of the Fifteenth
Amendment to the Federal Constitution
II size loses in this test no injury will have
been done. If she wins, the benefits to
the white people and the negroes alike will
he incalculahle