The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1889-02-23
I'm sou1nERs QUESTION.

k5i I,
There was recently issued from the |
presses Of the Teleslsph "a neatly
printed and . thoughtful and learned
brochure by Judge A. A. Gunby under
the tttis Of ina sssolution of the South
srn' Question:. This question, or
rather problem, which confr0nts us of
the South and concerns the whole peo>
pie of the United States, is one that has |
Of lste received the attention Of our !
best thinkers aud has been discussed
by the entire press Of the country with
resultant widely varying suggestions
~ TO its solution, bit 0oue, TO our
thinking, have proposed 90 practicable
aud feasible and constttutional = plan
a. has Jadgs Gunby. :, ri:
Before going further ills perhaps
we'll TO siate Jadgs Gunby's PROPOSE
ton. He sasgssts. the adoption of o
national edacstioDal qualification for
suffrage and to that end proposes the
following amendment to tho Ooustitu-
tlon OF the United States:
Art. XVI. s.No State shalt grant
the right Of sudfage to any person who
caunot read and write the Consultation
OF the United States in the English
language unless he 10 prevented from
90 doing by physical disability" 5,
Il IL true that Others have suggessed
an educational qualification for suffrage
o. solution Of the Southern question,
notably Senator Gibson, but he nor
any OF the rest have given the subject
that study and attention that It de-
served aud therefore have not treated
It In that comprehsnstv manner ~
70 aud Judge Ganby has done. !.
While the weight Of authority ia In
favor OF the opinion that the adoption
OF sach an amendment by State
would not be In conflict With the con-
Istitution OF the United States yet there
10 Q difference Of opinion on that point,
therefore Judge Gunby proposes the
adoption OF q national educational
! qualification for safKeags, thereby
eltmtnatiny the question Of the right Of
the States 10 the premises and obvIat-
Ing the Inevitable conflict that would
arise from that source. Judge Gunby
also shows how Improbable It would
DO for the States separately TO adopt
the amendment, for while some would
adopt It others would no doubt reject
Il and those adopting 1t would suffer
the loss of tts isboring classes affected
by the amendment who would emf
CRATE TO States retaining the manhood
qualification or universal su6rage.
Some States would probably refose to
consider the amendment or reject IL II
they did for this reason alone. Another
serious objection to Its adoption by 4
State where the negro element pre-.
dominates Is that the State adopting II
would b. met with the charge Of fraud
or violence. Those entitled to suffrage,
whether they know bow to 10.
telllgen,ly use the power or not, still
cherish 1t aud they would vote
against any measure that would de.
prive them Of that right add power
No statesman has yet told Us how Z
minority will overcome mejorlty or
this or any other proposition to bt
settled at toe ballot box without The
minority incurrlng the charge Of fraud
or violence and the odIum resulting
therefore. I,.n.'s
1t Is also cuntsnded by sotne that ths
adoption OF 40 educational qualiflcaiior
for suffrage would disfanchise many
who now enjoy the right and would
therefore be uuconstttattonat. Al
first blush this seems 10 be 30 but IL IL
not. Ot course the adoption Of such u
measure would practically dtsiranchIs
q large percentage Of voters bntit would
not take away the right. 1t would
simply Impose II condition under whict
the right could be exercised aud thu
coalition woutd impose the duty O
fitting oneself for AN intelligent exer
! ciao .,e tho rJnht Tn,}syn Gnrl,u nnokns