The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1890-05-09
EDUCATED WOMAN SUFFRAGE IN MIS-
SISSIPPI.


Woman's Joqrnal.
Judge Warren Cowan, in letter
TO the jackson (Miss.) Common
1eealh, advocates woman suffrage
upon nm educational and property
qualification, as the best way OF
neutraizing the large ignorant
vote of that State. Mississippi Is
soon to hold Constitutional con
venlinn, and Judge Cowan says:
"Let The Constitutional conyen-
tion provide, in addition to those
now entitled to vote, that every |
woman who is a citizen OF The |
State. who can read and write, aud |
owns forty acres Of land IN the
county. or $500 worth Of real es-
tate in city or town, and who is
not disqualified by law, by reason
of any crime or misdemeanor, shali
have the right to vote at any cleo
| ton.
The number of white women
thus enlranchised would largely
exceed the number Of colored wo-
men and the negro majorliyo the
male voters combined 49, here Is
no, hing in this to conflict with any
amendment or any part OF the
Constitution of the United States.
If any reason can be offered why
am ignorant, besotted. preJudlced,
immoral, worthless negro man
should vote, and refined, educa-
led white woman who owns pro,
uerty. pay taxes, and performs all
the duties of her citizenship should
not vote, would like very much
to hear"
The Meridian Nees says that
there are about 10000 land owners
in tie State who possess eighty
acres apiece, or more; and that II
, each of these would give half his
land to his wife, the number ol
women thus entitled to the suffrage
! would wipe outth illllerate vote
This plan has its good features
esrecially The one which looks to
+, having each man divide his laho
A with his wife. But the property
+ qualification proposed seems un
i necessarily large. A moderate Ell
e ucalional qualification is not I'M
+. reasonable, because any one cai
! comply with it who chooses to take
0 the trouble. But il is undemo
+ cratic to set up irsuperable par
], riers to the suffrage, and to man.
Il persons large property qualillca
p tion would be practically an 1hsu
n perable barrier. A simple readinls
I. and writing qualification woul'
J. answer equally well well the pur
u pose that Judge Cowan wishes L
= attain. -.
9 Here are the facts in Mississippi
Il as shown by the Z. 5. Census o
r 1880. The numbers have sine
/ heen increased by The growth Q
$ population, hut The ratios OF rae
l. and illiteracy have not been mate
. rally changed:
II MISSISSIPPI
Il White males over 81 who can write - = + +
7, rotal white males over 21........,.....lOs,2 ?
J. Negro mrles over 2l who can write. 1870. IL
l " q who cannot write'''''' 9'iW
Total negro males ovor l...''''''''.'''lJ 'lJo' z
N Total possible male votes '%'o''
White women over q who can write..'''''' " ~ .
Necro women over q who can write ''-''' 80
m 'fotaI women who can write. ..-......'-. ll't''
,, -.
Moro voting majority on present male basis ~,
= White vetng mai. Of W ed. women auuea' 10 a
n Educated voting maj present male basis h ia'4
N Educated voting maj, with ed women added l-s' 4
Il Thus the enfranchisement OF VIC
; men who can read and write IN IN
le State OF Mississippi would conYeel
n the present negro voting lnaJori'
a of 22.O24 into white voting ma
IS iorily of 1880 into an educate
er voting majority of 129,4l+ J.
A. would solve The problem of the Il
ID literate vote by giving ample pc
,e lilical control to the lntelllgen
Iy class.