The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1889-11-08
The PrOblaEn OF Southern
Power.

made at Greenville, Miss, by United
States Senator George of that State.
Senator George, speaking of the
formidable and threatening aspect Of
the race question in the southern
states, argued theneeesslty Of restrict
ing the political power of the negroes
by requiring, as a condition prece-
dent to the right of suffrage, an edu-
oatioual or property qualification, and
he favored the holding of a constitu-
tional convention in Mississippi so as
to secure the adoption of such re-
strictive measure.
The Federal constitution forbids
the disfranehisement of any person on
account of race or color, but beyond
that the states may enact any re-
striction or extension of suffrage with
out a question. An educational or
property qualification for the purpose
Of restricting political power is per-
fectly IN the reach of state legislation,
An educational requisite is already in
use in some of the northern states.
The Baltimore San has something on
this subject, from which We quote :
Massachusetts and other prosper
GUS northern states, it is noted, i'm
pose tests upon intending voters, the
practical effect of which is to disfran-
ohise largo number of people. Con
neoteut has its scheme of representa-
tion framed in such a peculiar man
ner that while its popular maiorities
are Democratic, its representation in
the United States Senate is Repubi.
can. The same IS TO be said of New
York, ap intentional disregard of the
state census law causing the legtsla-
ture and the United States senators Of
that state to be Republican, while the
governor IS Democratic, Such anom-
allies, along with property and educa-
tional qualifications, being so numer-
ous in the north, where tho popula.
tion IS homogeneous, II is little sur
prising, perhaps, that desire to in
stitute similar anomalies has not been
sooner developed in the south, whore
the electorate consists of two elements
incapable, apparently, of cooperating
in local or national affairs, The dt-
vorgenoies from the general model of
representation in Connecticut, Massa-
chusetts and New York have as q
basis desire to keep a particular
party in power, whereas similar iTregu-
lartes in the southern states may be
supported, it is held, on the ground
that the social, industrial and ad-
ministratiye interests of their COM
munities imporatively require them,
With the property, intelligence and
moral worth nearly all on one side
and mere numbers on the other, or
derly government, it is contended, is
in constant peril. A fusion of mum
bers with intelligence and property
has been invited for twenty-five years,
but without result
A property or educational quaIifica-
tion would not cut off all the negroes.
On the contrary it would cut off some
whites. 1t would not, therefore, be
drawn on color line, but IL would
secure the gathering together of all
the intelligence, the thrift and all
those classes of the population that
have the most active interest in good
government. 1t would intrust the con-
troll of public affairs TO them, while it
would relegate to position of po-
litioal harmlessness the ignorant and
brutal classes from which there is now
so much to fear.
AS consequence, however, there
would be a serious loss in the con-
gressional representation of the south.
Nearly every southern state would
lose from a half to one.third its pres
ent representative strength in the
lower house Of congress, and there
would be a corresponding loss in
presidential electoral votes, This
would result in a permanent over
throw Of the Democratic party as far
as Federal control might 90. There
could never be another Democratic
president. The Republican party
would retain possession Of the govern
ment until that aggressive, sectional
war-wager should become disin,
tegrated and fall to pieces by its own
corruption and rotteuness.
In any question where We were
called to choose between the posses
sion and preservation of our states
autonomy and the loss Of Federal
power, we would decide always in
favor of the former, in favor Of local
selEgovernment. But should the in,
huenee Of the southern Democracy be
extensively Withdrawn by voluntary
action from the national councils and
the domination Of the Republicans
overwhelmingly established, then we
would have no assurance that the Re-
publicans would not carry out in the
most summary manlertheir fell designs
against the white people Of the South
On The contrary, We would have the
very worst to fear. The Republicans,
| when they had the power constantly
disregarded the consultation Of the
United States. They Violated and de.
| fed il at pleasure, and under similar
circumstances they would do il again,
The southern people are thus con.
stantly kept 10 an gtti.ude Of sesf-
defense, and they are called upon tc
ask themselves whether they should
not, BY every means in their power
employ their talents II seeming qnl
maintaining control Of the negfoes
and thereby bold on II their place il
\ the great Democrats party and theil
national affairs The problem i one
of great interest and importance, ant
its solution peeds The utmost wiadop
and courage.
]