Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-12-18
TUESDAY. DECEMBER Is. 1888.
The Educational QuahAcation.

The EducauOnal I{ualincdtloi|
The proposition 10 protect the southern
states from the evils that have resulted, or
might result, from the improper use OF the
ballot by illiterste voters has attracted more
attention than we had supposed would be
accorded 10 II. u has ELECTED, too, some in'
teresting discussion. The Nation, for ex'
nmple, raises TIE question whether excluding
ililerates from the ballot-box would be,
vltlNu the meaning OF the fourteenth smend-
DepI, a denial Of the night TO vote. II plau-
sibly suggests that law requiring all voters
10 be able 10 read and write would be no
more a denial Of the right 10 vote than Is
a law requiring all voters TO be registered, or
the usual constitutional provision depriving
men otherwise qualified Of the right to vote
II they have not resided within the election
precintt wherein they propose to vote the
length Of time prescribed by the Constitution.
Massachusetts excludes large number OF
men from the bsllot-bOx by an educational
test. She allows no one to vote who cannot
read and write. let she has never lost
congressman for that reason, and, 80 far as
we know, no serious proposition has ever
been made IN Congress to cut down her rep
yesentstion in the national House OF Repre-
seutatiyes in proportion as she has cut
down the number Of voters within that
State.
The fifteenth amendment has deprived the
States Of the power 70 deny the right
20 vote on accounted race. SO that whatever
changes NAV be made IN the election laws OF
any State must apply 20 both races.
The penalty prescribed by the fourteenth
amendment for denying the right OF men to
vote is the reduction Of the basis Of repre-
eentstion in the House Of Representatives IN
proportion AS the number Of voters is re-
dnced. HVirginia, with ten members OF that
House, shall dlsirauchse one fifth OF her
voters. then she shall lose one fifth Of her
congrossmen, too. And in the same proper
fion in every State. But how would 1t be
p0ssiLle ever 10 ascertain the number OF dis
franchised menu Would or could the cen
gis be- made 10 reveal the true state OF the
cascy Men are disirancmsed for not regis
tering Would they be allowed to report
themselve, 10 the Census-taker as wrong
fully denied The right to voter Men are
DISTINGUISHED for felony. Would they be
allowed TO report themselves ~ wrongfully
denied the right to voter So as 10 various
other disqualldcatlous.
The adoption OF an educational qualities
ton for voting IN the southern States would
be dlstssteiul TO the North for the reason, II
for no other, that It would, to use the Ian
Ruage Of some OF our northern Republican
exchanges, give 20 the southern men who
did vote more power than the same number
OF northern voters would have. That is to
say, whilst hundreds Of thousands Of illlte-
yates would be prevented from voting tue
Votes cast by the other men would have az
much weight in an election as II all the
iliterato had'vOted. So to express It, the
lileraie would cast the votes which have
been taken away from the Iliierates.
To require an educational qualification
would be 10 initiate a contest between the
literates and iliterates without regard to
race which might DO great harm. 1t would
he calamity to adopt any measure which
would cause the illlterates Of both races TO
band together against the ltcrstes.
It's probable, too, that # an educational
qualification were required there would be
found men who would consider that good
reason for not allowing the negro TO be edu-
Gated at all. This would not be considered
allowable 10y our "northern brethren"
Their indignation would soon become hot,
and an agitation might be begun like that
which has Just ended in the Acknowledgement
Of foreigners in Rhode Island.
We Of the South cannot rs yet see our way
clear to the requirement OF an educational
qualification. Until we can do so, it would
perhaps Ike better "to bear the Ills We have"