Speech #870172990

I point out that the 14th and 19th amendments do not affect the power of the States to prescribe the qualifications for voting except to the extent covered by those two amendments. I read the following on this point from an annotation which appears in 153 American Law Reports. at page 1080. and which also appears in the 1961 cumulative supplement to 18 American Jurisprudence. subject. "Elections." section 47: The 15th and 19th amendments granted no new voting rights except that of not being discriminated against on the ground of race. color. previous condition of servitude. or sex. Shortly after I started this discussion I stated that every literacy test now upon the statute books of any one of the 21 States having such tests conforms strictly to the provisions of section 2 of article I of the Constitution and the 17th amendment. I am prepared at this time to read the decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States holding that a literacy test prescribed by a State as a qualification for voting for a member of the largest branch of its legislature does not violate the 14th amendment. the 15th amendment. or the 19th amendment. I am prepared to follow the discussion of the Supreme Court reports on that point with an analysis of the literacy tests prescribed by each of the 21 States which now have such a test. but if the Senator from Wisconsin desires to interrupt me for a short period of time. with the understanding that-