The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1889-03-28
wINsToN-sALEM n. C., THURSDAY, MARCH %, 1885,

0N-SALEM, N. c., Z
THE RACE PROBLEM.
A Constitutional Method of Settling It
Suggested.
Washington Dispatch to tie Balt,mors .Sun.1
A member of the bar of the Su-
preme Court of the United States sub
mits the following outline of plan for
disposing of the race problem in the
South, which he regards as both prac-
teal and effective Although his
views may encounter criticism his
proposition, as stated, is ingenious
and interesting: ~ s)
"The large body of negro voters in
the South continues to distract the re-
pose of the country. It is with much
vehemence charged, on the one hand,
that, in defiance of the national con-
stitution, the rights of these voters are
largely denied or abridged. 1t is as
serted with equal ardor, on the other
that, though this charge is unfounded,
the necessities of civil administration
demand the political supremacy of the
white population. How may the in
telligence Of the South be constitution
ally retained in the majority during
the period in which the negro is being
fitted, through education, for the re,
sponsible duties of citizenship?
cit may admit of some question
whether the constitution of any State
can he SO amended, by popular vote,
as to annex to the right of suffrage
any educational or property qualifca-
ton. But, if such a qualification
were prescribed for tie male iahabi-
tants Of t,centy one y,ars Of age and
upwards in any State, the basis of its
representation, under the fourteenth
amendment, would be liable at all
times to reduction. And as the temp
tation to effect this reduction would be
strongest in moments of politica, ex-
citement, the mischief attending the
effort and its accomplishment would
be increased in the same proportion.
"But State may confer the right
of suffrage upon its male inhabitants
who are not twenty-one years of age,
and may, constitutionally, and without
lawful interference by national au-
thority, impose upon such inhabitants
both educational and property qualifi-
cations. And the persons thus enfran-
chised, if qualified under the State
law for electors of the more numerous
branch of its Legislature, would be-
come entitled, under the second Sec
tion of the first article of the constitu-
ton, to vote for members of the House
of Representatives.
$50, under like qualifications, and
with the same result, State may con
stitutionally confer the right of suffrage
upon females. A resort to this latter
expedient must be felt, it is admitted,
to be justified, if at all, only by the
necessity of the situation. But if the
necessity be found to exist, why may
not the women of the South be again
summoned te its rescue? The large
number of young negro women now
being educated would offset many
voters from the white females if edu-
cation alone was made the condition
of suffrage. Hence property quail
| fication should be combined with an
educational qualification. The mum.
ber of white women who now own
sufficient property to satisfy the reason
able requirements of any law to be
passed in that particular would prob
ably be unite adequate to furnish q
large white majority in each of the
Southern States. But the number
might be multiplied inde6nitely-and
with great incidental advantages tc
society-by bona fine donations from
fathers, husbands, brothers and the
like, care being taken by the Legis
lature to guard against fraudulent
and colorado transfers. In pure
ly local elections provisions nigh
be made for casting the votes o
females by pr0ry, under simple bu
honest regulations. And it woule
only be in elections for members o
the House of Representatives that con
gress could interfere to compel th'
personala tendance of female voters a
the polls. The scheme of female suff
rage might be limited in its operation
to q fixed term. It could, hence
prove no more permanent than tn
wishes of the male population, or th'
crisis in which it originated.
"The details of the plan would var,
with local conditions. IF the cardina
idea be of value, its consideration
should not be deferred to period in
which it might be too late to put tn
plan in practice by amendments o
the State constitutions.
/ "The plan itself would settle tn
race question in the South. The larg
majority constitutionally acquired b
the white population Of the Sout
would render unavailing any furthe
complaints against the diafranchise
ment of the negroes. The fear of ne
gro domination would be at an enc
The States would have settled tn
problem agreeably to the nations
constitution, and the people at larg
would have no right to question tn
settlement" I9 ,lrdS
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