Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1915-01-29
SUFFRAGE NOT d FEDERAL
QUESTION:

In our issue of last week we published
a letter from Mrs. Margaret l. Sewall, Press
Chairman of Montgomery County Just Gov
eminent League, commenting adversely
upon an editorial in our issue of January
18th. in which we took the position that
prohibition and suffrage are not Federal
Questions. We are Obliged to our CORE
spondent for calling our attention to an
error in our editorial which can only be
accounted for by saying that it was slip
OF the pen that was not discovered in read
ing the proof. Our mistake was in citing
the Thirteenth Amendment instead of the
Fifteenth Amendment as comforting the
right OF suffrage upon negroes. We think,
however, that the context Of the article
makes it perfectly plain that we had in
mind the Fifteenth Amendment, because
there was nothing in the discussion that
referred to the abolition of slavery. which
was accomplished by the Thirteenth
Amendment
OF course, we are sorry and duly apollo
gize for the mistake. The best of us err
sometimes. Even so eminent scholar
and historian as Woodrow Wilson, in his
History Of the American People (volume S,
page i54), places Maryland geographically
north Of Mason and Dixon's line-a state
ment which some Marylanders might be
disposed to resent, were it not perfectly
manifest that it was made through mad
vertence.
Our readers will recall that in the article
to which our correspondent takes excep-
ton. we purposely avoided discussion of
the merits Of female suffrage. II will be
time enough to take up that question when
it is presented to our people by either
proposed amendment to the Constitution Of
the United States or to the Constitution of
Maryland. What we sought to make plain,
and apparently succeeded in doing so. was
our opposition to the control of suffrage in
the States and for local. as well as for
Federal affairs, by the general government
What we wish to emphasize now is our
opposition to any extension Of the Federal
power, because we believe that it will in
time become unwieldy, and in the matter
OF suffrage might. in the exigencies of
parties and factions, become oppressive.
In our judgment. the States should retain
control Of the suffrage. because conditions
do differ in various sections of the Repub-
lie; and it is only fair that each State
should be able to regulate 1t as its intimate
knowledge Of local conditions enables it to
do.
Nor would it be fair or wise. by the ex-
ercise of the Federal power. to drive the
States again to the adoption Of those ex-
pedients which followed the Fifteenth
Neutrality-suspicious. which everybody
has deplored. the legal status of which is
not yet entirely settled and which. as to
female suffrage. would probably be much
more difficult Of solution from both the
social and practical standpoints.
Furthermore. as we see it. assuming that
the claim of the suffragists is meritorious,
it is unnecessary to take the risk involved
in the enlargement of Federal power, in
order to accomplish the end in view. Even
II Congress should adopt the amendment
1t would have to be fought through the
States. and campaign which would re-
suit in the adoption Of such an amendment
would be equally successful in the respec-
tive States, without disturbing the relations
between the States and the Federal gov
eminent or endaneering what we regard
as fundamental principle Of our institu-
TONS