The Southern indicator. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1903-1925, 1915-06-26
COURT uPSETS VALIDITY OF
GRANDFATHER CLAUSE.
Tribunal Decides Against
Constitutionality of Elec-
ton Regulations Existing
Before 18th Amendment.

Before 18th Amendment.
Washington, June 21.-The su-
preme court, in what is consider
ed one of the most important
race decisions in history, today an
nuled as unconstitutional the Ok
lahoma constitutional amendment
and the Annapolis, Md, voters
qualification law restricting the
suffrage rights of those who
could not vote or whose ancest-
ors could not vote prior to the
ratification of the fifteenth
amendment to the federal con-
sitution.
Chief Justice White, a native
of the South and former Con-
federate soldier, announced the
courts decision, which was un-
ANXIOUS, except that Justice Nc
Reynild took no part in case.
BY holding that conditions that
existed before the fifteenth am
endment, which provides that
the right to vote shall no: be
denied or abridge on account of
race, color or previous condition
of sarvitude, could not be
brought over to the present day
in disregard of this self exc
cutting amendment, 1t is general
ly believed that the court went
a long way toward invali-
dating much of the socalled
grandfather clause. Iu con-
Istutions of Southern states.
FROM SMALL BASIS.
The immediate effect of the
courts decision was to uphold
the conviction of two Oklahoma
election officials who denied Ne.
groes the right to vote in a con.
gressional election. and, to; award
Il the Mary1 k11t Negroes a1anoage
from election officials in Anna.
, polls who refused to register
them. The court held that Okla.
, homa election officials could MOI
ignore the fifteenth amendment
in wiping out of state constitutions
the word white" as a qualifica
tion for voting. In the Mary:
land case, the courts decision es
} tablished the point that the flf
! teenth amendment applies t.
municipal as we'll as to fedora
t elections. s
Discussing the Oklahoma case
: Chief Justice White said the sui
( ferage amendment to the stat
e constitution first fixed a literac
: standard. and then followed j
d with provision creating stand
: ard based upon the condition ex
isting on January /, 1866. prio
: to the adoption of the flfteent
O amendment, and eliminate
those coming under that stanc
j. ard from the inclusion in tn
5 literacy test.
IS The court held that this actio
recreated and perpetuated tn
h very conditions which the fiji
d teenth amendment was intende
e to destroy.
" 1T is true.' continued tk
chief, that it contains no e.
IS press word of an exclusion {
IS any peoson on account of race
S. color, or previous condition {
e servitude. but the standard j
self inherently brings that r.
is suit into existence.
In other words, we seek
Is vain for any ground whic
st would sustain any other interpr
50 tation but that the provision, r
curing to the conditions exis
ing before the fifteenth ament
n ment was adopted, sproposed
l. make them the "asis of the rig
to suffrage. And the same resu
r. we are Of the opinion, is demo
is strated by consideration wheth
he it is possible to discover any ba
ed is or reason for the -standa
xyA thus fixed, other tAan the pu
lska pose above stated"
G.4ES. MANY BECOME POSITIVE.
pkaS., The chief justice had prefac,
.fkis state by a developement
Is Tie argument that the restrictit
l,ss3 imposed by the fifteenth amen
!IMment on the power of the stat
!ss ss'sFs Fssss5 ss Arage ,Wes coinciaent wi
pita ofS&he power itself. T
1lffS(a the principle tn