The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-08-25
THE SUFFRAGE QUESTION.
To Be Decided By the Mississippi Con.
yeution.

New ORLEANS, Aug. 1.-the 7imes- DenocrGfs
Jackson [A.ss-J special says: Such Of the con-
stjrusionsl convention membsrs a. had bus ness
before them have been in session al day. ana
those having 10 business 10 II pose Of have dis
cussed the sll-sbsorbing suffrage question and
ne disposition the coa-ent on is INK ly 70 N zie
of L. large number OF the delegates from the
eastern or white portion of the state are little
concerned over the Suffrage question This
section is largely white that IL has never felt
The danger of negro supremacy thar 20 con-
SANITY ueuaees he western or black portion OF
the state
This is not the case with all the delegates
from tina, section. there being some VINO feel
the necessity OF sfscuaily settling the question.
A delegate from that section today said ne felt
that some heroic remedy should De adopted, but
his p ople were opposed 10 anything stronger
than the Australian syssen. acd in respees 10
their wishes he wou.d oppose any kind OF edu-
cs3ional or properly Qualifications Many dele
gates here say they are more interested in Sc
curing constitution this VIII give tbem N
elective judiciary than 20 secure any change In
the suffrage of votes.
Just low far this sentiment exists cannot be
told until the convention goes farther. There
Is q strong element here. however. that favors an
elective iu1iciary, and in order 20 secure the
changes in the suffrage law desired, some CON-
promise may have 10 be made By those opposed.
Senator Nolaud, Q prominent delegate. said to
your CORES pendent today that he ye-y much
doubled the prseriesbility OF the Australian
system. and he doubted the convention adopt
ing IL; that il would encourage the establish
ment of the negro s. hOols all over the country,
organized just for the purpose OF teaching the
negroes enough to enaple them 10 vote.
prominent delegate from the heavy negro
seclion said that 10 change in the ballot laws
was desired o. would De accepted by his sec
tion that did not insure white supremacy for al
time TO come; that NO nsksshiit or expedient
would answer. HIS section favored q strong
educational or property qualification, and moth
ing short OF this, he did not believe, would do
the work Nearly su the large counties IN the
state have black naiorities, while the small
ones, with only one representatives, have white
nsjouties-
Both the plans Of Senator George and Pro-
fessor Msyes propose 10 cut down tie repre-
sentation of the black counties AID give ii to
the white counties. thus securing the legisis-
tnre 70 the whites aad permitting it Or some
state body so constituted 10 elect TIE slxte off,
GERS. Neither OF these plans proposes any regu
lstion whatever for suffrage. but leaves the
laws as they are. The counties losing their
representation viii bitterly ngni both plans
The large counties may consent 10 surrender
some of their representation II the suffrage laws
troll the internal affairs OF their
counties as well as their state.
Another prominent delegate ssid: 'Tt looks
70 re like our biggest men having gone mad.
Some of them have advanced the biggest fool
schemes ever heard of. All We need Is some
thing ike the Australian system. This will
secure white supremacy, which is all that is
wanted, and Is as strong Q measure as can be
adopted"
Another delegate said: II was always op-
posed 70 calling the convention believing
there was NO necessity for il. an more coz.
viueed uow that / was right than ever. and
don's think from the way Things look that the
work OF the convention Will amount 10 any
thing. / understand" he continued, ssthat the
majority of the elective franchise committee
fayors something Ike the George or Msyes plan,
which IS worth nothing In my opinion The
present system IS much bette"
The elective franchise committee has been in
session all day with closed doors ana members
OF IL are put under secrecy 20 say no hing about
anything that iransplEes IL the committee. 1t
IS quite as difficult now as ever 10 define the re-
suislng shape OF sn the opinions advanced,
although there has been very free interchange
OF views.
The question, it seems TO be realized. notwirn-
standing, the most earnest and honest effort
10 accomplish what viii Dc the greatest good
to the greatest numbrr, is as yexed, puzzing
and ell-sbsoTbing. Toe differences OF views
viii bring out in the crisis the most interesting
ana possibly dramatic episodes of the eonyen-
ton. for there are here many stalwart. earnest
men. who are. some of them. passiouasely bent
on doing something whica viii be q settler 70
this thing OF negro suffrage.
They seem to realize tnat, while the at enfion
OF the whole country is drawn 20 this conren-
ton, the south IS particularly intsrests l. and If
anything which Carries IN il worthy features of
improvement is adopted, the Mississippi consti-
tnt'onSi convention viii BE- followed by Ike
demonstrations al over the South.