The Washington times., 1915-06-22
Southern States Expected to
Attempt to Circumvent RuI-
ing in Oklahoma Case.
ANTI-NEGR0 LAWS IN PERIL
Press of South Takes Optimistic
View of Action BY United
States Supreme Court.

The race problem is complicated in
practically all OF the Southern States
today by the decision of the United
States Supreme Court declaring void the
grandfather clause legislation OF
Oklahoma and Maryland and the conse-
quent disfranchisement Of colorcd
voters.
That the States involved, and the
South generally. will seek means Of cir
cumventing the decision Of the highest
tribunal. is little doubted.
While 1t is construed that the decis-
ion OF the court applies specifically to
the two statutes considered, and that
each State adaptation of the grand
father clause" principle stands upon its
own bottom, the broad doctrine enunci-
ated blythe Supreme Court puts In jeop-
ardy anti-negro legislation Of all South
ern States. no matter In what language
the grandfather clause" may be
framed.
Southern Press Optomistic.
The Southern press, however, takes
an optimistic view of the situation to-
day the consensus being that this leg
isAdon has served most of its purposes
by eliminating the unlettered negro
from politics during the past decade
and the growing disinclination of the
race to vote, together with a dissipa-
tfon OF white illiteracy. leaves the sit
uation in the hands of the white race.
Granting that all versions Of the
grandfather clause" eventually are
declared illegal by the Supreme Court,
pointed out two means of restricting
the colored vote in the South and at
the same time remaining within the
bounds of the Fifteenth Amendment.
Georgia constitution. which requires
first the payment Of a poll tax and
secondly that voter shall be subject
to non-registration unless he under
stand the principles Of republican
form OF government. e.''.~~.
Averse To Paying Poll Tox.
The Georgia law is that, election Of
character "and to understand the
duties and obligations Of citizenship
under a republican form of govern
ment."
The negro Is naturally aversc to the
payment of poll taxes. especially whero
pointed out by this authority that it
would be q comparatively easy matter
to bar an illiterate voter, white or col
ored. II he lacks an understanding of
he lives and no discrimination under
the Fifteenth Amendment can be al
legged under such a requirement.
The Oklahoma grandfather clause"
Is regarded as the most direct of similar
legislation invoked by Southern States.
At the time it was inserted in the con-
stitution, Its very discriminatory direct
ness was subjected to attack by
stand the scrutiny Of the Supreme
Court.
How Georgia Law Works.
On the other hand. the Georgia law
is an example of a more astutely drawn
grandfather clause" This law pro-
vides an educational and property test.
but as an offset it gives the ballot to:
''All persons who have honorably
served in the land or naval forces of the
United States in the revolutionary war,
or in the war of 1872. or in the war
with Mexico, or in any war with the
Indians, or in any war between the
States. or in the war with Spain, or
who honorably served in the land or
naval forces of the Confederate States,
between the States"
1t is believed by Georgia legislators
that such a clause. embracing all the
wars, and applying in succeeding para
graph to the descendants of such SOL
diers and sailors, without mention of
the color line, would stand the test of
non-discrimination from judicial view
point.
Decision Not Surprising.
Comment of the Southern newspa-
pers on the Supreme Court decision
follows:
Jackson. Miss, News:
"The decision of the United States
Supreme Court. declaring invalid the
grandfather clause of the Oklahoma
constitution, Is not surprising. The
clause was inserted in the organic
law of the new State contrary to the
advice of many of the wisest states,
men in the South. several of them be-
ing distinguished Mississippians who
had participated in framing the con-
stitution of our own State.
mississippi was thS first State in
the South to eliminate the negro from
political affairs by the adoption OF
O literacy test Our constitution stood
the test of review by the United