New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-26
Constitutional Convention
Puts II in Order of
Final Passage.
ROOT MAKES PLEA
FOR SERVICE BOARDS
Change in Law May Lead to
BLACK Horse Cavalry"
Days, He Warns.

hipaHS' n x 81 by NOtt ol ~ 10
81 the convention to-day advanced to
the order fiji. passage the lteracy
test proposal offerc b. Charles II.
Young
Advocates of the measure, whi:h pro-
vides that no person shall be entitled
to vote who cannot read OF write the
English language, declared that in the
states where the test is in force tn /,
number of illiterates had decreased
and that it made for ter citizenship.
A plan to recon ;ider the vote to-
night was contemplated Louis Mar
shall, chief opponent of the measure,
but was abandoned. Elihu Root voted
against the advancement of the pro-
posal, while George w. Wickersham,
Henry l.. Stimson and other leaders
voted with :. G.
A motion to kill the proposal by
striking out the enacting clause was
lost by tie vote e to 81.
Neutrality Cast Aside.
The Young proposal was the oc-
casion for bitter debate. Disorder
reigned in the convention, while dozen
delegates tried to obtain the floor at
once.
The bitterness was expected When
the convention adjourned last night the
intensely pro-English speech of Gordon
Knox Bell, of New York, was com
mented on by the delegates as likely
to turn to-day's proceedings % e
turmoil. Mr.. Bell had intended in ad-
vocating the Young proposal Unly to
emphasize the need of a knowledge of
English as essential to a voter. But
in the heat of his speech he declared
that the United States was an Anglo
Saxon country and eulogized the Eng
lish.
Frank Mann, OF Brooklyn, who was
counted among the supporters Of
the Young amendment, Immediately
jumped to the other side. When he
was recognized by the chair to-day ne
announced that he was of German ex-
traction and never prouder of it than
when he observed the success Of the
German arms in the last year.
"If we observe the statements OF Mr..
Bell and Mr.. Young" said Mr.. Mann,
1--WE find there are covert attacks not
only on the Yiddish people, but also on
practically every nationality except the
English. Especially is there an infer
entail attack on the German-speaking
people.
Defends German Voters.
II will not attack any nation, but the
German-speaking people of this coun-
try who are voters are not illiterate.
They can read and write English as
well as the German language"
w. NJ. X. Olcott, of New York, sought
to turn the tide to Mr.. Young.
my attitude" said Mr.. olcott, us
not that of Mr.. Bell. l do not think
this is an Anglo-Saxon country at the
present time. | have not drop OF
English blood in my veins. MY ances-
tors came from Holland, but as soon
as they got here they learned the Eng
lish language. This thing does not re-
solve itself into the old know-nothing-
ism. the shibboleth of that creed,
America for the Americans. This is
founded on broader principle, a more
magnificent charity, more cosmoPoii-
tan thought. America for everybody.
.Americanism-that seems the more
imnortant thing. Let people learn TO
read and write the American language
and thew will learn to think in 1t or, at
least. il will open to them all the pa
triotic writings which are IN that IAN
guage." u -.
The speech of Louis Marshall. OF
New York, last night was the ooJect
of attack by nearly all the deieeates
who stood behind Mr.. foungs pro
posal. Mr.. Marshall declared that the
adoption of the Young amendment
would be resented as an insult Dy 'he
Hebrews of the state.
Deplores Race Issue.
Judge Alphonso !. Clear"aIei, pi.
ident of the State Bar Association ana
a vigorous supporter of the proposal,
said he regretted that Mr.. Marshail
had injected the race issue into the
debate. -.
II say this without any question oil
race" said Judge Clearwater. ihere
is no more Anglo-Saxon in my blood
than in Mr.. Marshall's. This is no
narrow question. 1t is one OF the
broadest. most fundamental, most
basic principles of great state. De
spite the threats of visitation OF dis
pleasure of large bodies VINO now
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