Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-01-31
ANT|-SUFFRAC|STS
ATTACK AMENDMENT
Resolution in This Behalf to be
Presented to Maryland Legis-
lature Next Week.

tAcking the suffrage amendment passed
by Congress and now being considered
by the States, will be presented IN both
houses Of the Maryland General Assembly
during the coming week. The resolution
questions the validity Of the amendment
which, it is declared, would destroy tho
States, rs it takes from them the right OF
eclf-government.
Following is the text of the resolution:
Joint resolution of the House of Dele
gates and Senate of Maryland, rejecting
and refusing to ratify an amendment
TO the Constitution of the United states,
proposed by Congress to the legislatures
of the several States:
Whereas, TIE General Assembly OF
MARYLAND has received official notiti-
cation of the passage by both Houses
of the Sixty-sixth Congress of the United
States Of the following proposal TO amend
the Constitution of the United States:
Be it resolved, BY the General AS
scmbly of Maryland, that we deny
that the Congress of the United States
has any lawful right or power to pro-
pose such an amendment of the Con-
stitution of the United States, we deny
that the legislatures of three-fourths
OF the States have any lawful right
or power To adopt such an amendment;
and we deny that such an amendment
would be validly part OF the Constitu-
tiou of the United States If thus adopted,
for the following reasons:
The avowed purpose of the people
pf the United States IN adopting the
Federal Constitution was to establish
n perpetual Union of States.
In order that this great purpose
might be accomplished it WAS essen,
tih that each State should be preserved
ns an indestructible political unit.
In the oft quoted words of the Su-
preme Court of the United States,
their purpose was To establish An
indestructible Union composed of III
destructible States"
For without the States in Union,
there could be- no such political body
as the United States"
1t is manifest, therefore, that when
the people, in this same Federal Con-
stitution, conferred upon CSngress and
the legislatures of three-fourths OF the
States the power to amend that
Constitution, it could not have been
their intention to authorize the adoption
of any amendment, or any measure
under the guise of an amendment,
which would wholly or partially destroy
=
any one Of their functions, essential to
their separate and independent existence
as States.
Surely, the right of State to de-
termine, for itself, by the vote of its
own people, who shall vote at It's own State
county and municipal elections is one
of those functions.
When we surrender to any outside
power the right to say who shall vote
at our State elections, we surrender
the right to determine who shall govern,
the State, and, without the right of local
self-government, we cease TO be State
and become a mere province, with far
less powers to determine cur own destiny
than we had prior to the American
Revolution, under the charter granted
By the British Crown.
Resolved. Further, that the legisla-
ture of Maryland could not exercise
the power TO ratify this so-called nine
teenth amendment, conferred upon 1T
or supposed TO be conferred upon it,
by TIE Fifth Article Of the Constitution
of the United States, without violating
In most fragrant fashion the Constltu-
ton of our own state.
The Constitution of Maryland limits
the right of suffrage to men. The people
OF ll3st iltb tBAAACAtNG AsOA
their legislature any right to amend
that Constitution by extending the fran
chise TO women.
Yet, this proposed nineteenth amend
ment to the Federal Constitution, II
adopted and held valid, would in effect
amend the Constitution of the State
Of Maryland In that respect and establish
woman suffrage in this State without
the consent, and it may be, contrary
to the wishes of a majority Of both
the men and women OF Maryland.
We conceive that the members of
this legislature would be false TO their
duty to their own people, If not TO their
official oaths. if they should vote to ratlfy
the proposed amendment.
Therefore, Be it further resolved,
That the legislature OF tins State hereby
rejects the said nineteenth article, pro-
posed as an amendment to the Constl-
tuition of the United States, and, on the
behalf of the State OF Maryland, refuse to
ratify the same.
Resolved, further, That We solemnly
protest to the legislatures Of those States
Who have heretofore vote to ratify
such amendment, against their action,
10 thus seeking TO force tins measure
upon our people, without their consent,
and we earnestly appeal to the ieglsla-
tures of those States who have not as yet
ratified IT, not to do so.
And be it further resolved, That
the Governor be requested 10 forward
a copy Of the foregoing preambl and
duly attested, to the Secre-
tary of State for the United States, our
and senators IN Con-
gress, to the governors of each OF the
States and to the presiding officers OF
each House or tn legislatures thereof.
Letters are being received here by men
from the Maryland Legaue for State
Defence. seeking aid In opposing the
Anthony Amendment, which say: 'It
was thought that organized opposition on
The part of the men of the State was
expedient to supplement the splendid
work being done by the Woamn's Anti
Suffrage Association of Maryland. 1t
IS considered that the amendment in
question aims at the very vitals OF the |
State IN that 1T attempts to deprive the !
State of its inherent right to determine |
he basis OF it's electorate and thus to |
'elegate the State to the status Of /
,royince-a step tending TO destroy the /
states of an indestructible union. |
with each State possessing the power
% enfranchlse women when it elects to do
o, it is manifastly inequitable that this
hoice should be forced upon the States
which do not desire it, The adherents Of
vonap suffrage have ample opportunity
o gam their ends in each State. Their
forts along these lines have proved
LIsaStrOtls as has been ayidanend b.y /