The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1915-06-21
THE OKLAHOMA GRANDFATHER
CLAUSE" RESTRICTING NEGRO
VOTE, UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
MANY DECISIONS TODAY .
Court Ruled Against Government in
Its Suit to Forfeit Unsold Portion
of Oregon California Railroad Lands
Valued at More than $3o,ooO,oOO.

Washington, June 21.-The United
States supreme court today annulled
the Oklahoma Grandfather Clause"
restricting the negro vote, on the
grounds that it is unconstitutional
The court also annulled the Grand
father Clause" in the Annapolis
Maryland city law.
The court ruled against the gov
ernment in the governments suit to
forfeit the unsold portion of the Ore
ton California railroad land valued
at more than thirty million dollars
The court decided to review the
decision in the customs court, which
held that five per cent discount on
imports on American ships extends
also to goods imported in ships OF
favored nations treaty countries. The
court also decided to review the
conviction of Drew Caminetti, con-
yicted of white slavery, also of Maury
Dfggs on the same charge
For more than fifteen years the
Grandfather Clouse" has been in
serted in constitutions of southern
states. The most popular form has
been to exempt from educational and
property tests for voting those who
could vote in 1866, 1867 or 1868, thus
leaving the tests to apply to those who
did not vote at those dates.
The Oklahoma grandfather clause
provides that mo person shall be
registered as an elector in this state,
or be allowed to vote in any election
herein, unless he be able to read and
write any section of the constitution
of the state of Oklahoma, but no per
son who was, on January /, 1866, or
at any time prior thereto, entitled to
vote under any form of government,
or who at that time resided in some
foreign nation, and no lineal descend
ant of such person shall be denied
the right to register and vote be-
cause of his inability to so read and
write sections OF such constitution"
In Maryland the cause was in
serted in laws governing elections in
various cities. In 1908, it was in
serted in the law governing munici.
pal elections in the city of Annapo-
lis. 1t authorized the registration as
voters of all taxpayers of the city
assessed for at least $500: all duly !
citizens, all male children
of naturalized citizens 81 years of
age, and "all citizens who. prior to
January l. 1868, We're entitled to vote
in the state of Maryland or in any
other state of the United States at |
a state election, and the lawful male |
descendants of any person who, prior
to January l, 1868, were entitled TO
vote in the state of Maryland or in
any other state of the United States
at state election"
Various arguments were advanced |
TO meet the attack that these clauses
the fifteenth amendment. to
The constitution providing that "the
right of citizens of the United States
70 vote shall not be denied or abr'dg-
I'd by the United States or by any
state on account of race, color y
previous condition of servitude"
Another line OF argument was that
he clauses did not deny or 'abridge
he right of negroes to vote, as for
1idden by the fifteenth amendment,
'ut it merely Disseminated against
hem by allowing the e not negroes
o vote without meeting lie t,uarioa-
ions imposed 0s :rS'bl. upon all