Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1916-07-25
Ii. G. McKeever Issues
Statement Concerning
Literacy Test.
CROOKED IN ESSENCE
Un-Democratic, Un-Repub-
lican and Un-American,
He Declares.

Special to The World
ENID, Okla, July 24.-EI. G. Nc
II Keever, one of Oklahomas brain
lest and most prominent Republicans,
has issued a statement othe voters Of
Oklahoma, in which he advances
some of the strongest arguments
against the proposed new election
law, to be voted on at the August prl-
mary that have yet been put into
wl.t!pg:
90 august 1 at the primaries, a
vote viii be cast on the amendment
to the constitution commonly called
the literacy test, or designated as state
question No. So, initiative petition SIS.
A Democratic paper of this county
has recently published canned" edi-
torial urging the voters to support
this amendment.
in the language of one of okla
homa's leading Democrats, this
amendment is undemocratic, unrepub-
lican and un-American.
Machine Measure.
The Republicans are not making n
fight on this amendment so much be-
cause it is literacy test. because
there could be an honest difference
of opinion as to the advisability OF
applying literacy test to voters, but
they are making their fight on ii be
cause it was conceived in iniquity by
! an INSCRIPTIONS Democratic machine
| for the purpose of keeping the negro
/ from voting, but in truth and in fact
/ il keeps the illiterate white man from
voting also, and IL was necessary to
make it apply to both in order that II
be constitutional and to make no dis
elimination and to appear that 1t Is
a fair and just measure. They even
reiterate in the bill itself the section
of both the state and federal consti-
tutions which says that The right OF
no citizen OF this state to vote shall
ever be denied or abridged on ac-
count of race, color or previous con-
dition of servitude." and in their bal
lot title and in the body of the bill
also they make it appear that they
should pass a law whereby mo prop.
erty qualification shall ever be i'm
posed as a requisite for registration
or voting in this state" In Other
words, this is like asking a crook il
he is honest, and of course he viii
answer that he is.
The sole Judge.
There is no excuse for the people
of this part of Oklahoma, either
members of any party supporting thii
IllQullOuS HltiSuI'. III liit III Sl
IT has already caused the state an ex'
ira session of the legislature for the
extraordinary session was called tc
pass this law which the governor and
his machine are trying to force tn,
voters of this state to adopt. The
next evil is that should it pass there
will be ten-day period in which
everybody has to register again and
then you are absolutely at the mercy
OF the registration officer under the
terms OF the bill, and IL you should be
an ignorant white Republican he ha:
the absolute power to disfrancihse yor
under the same conditions he does tho
ignorant black Republican, or II yol
are not as ignorant even as the cleo
ton officer himself, which can anc
will easily occur in some OF the coun
ties of this state. you can still be de
MED the right to vote. because there
Is no requirement except being able Il
read a section OF the constitution ant
the registrar is the only judge.
The new registration would cause
much trouble anu great expense tC
CONTINUED On PAGE SIX