Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1890-10-02
:, peouired the DrawingLof Color
Line at the Polls Without
Bloudshed.
rho constitutional Convention Adopts
Novel But Outrageous Plan
Of Suffrage.
yacroes Must Be Able to Read the
constitution and to Do Much
More.


Pc ia disfranchise majority of the
pfoters Judge Calhoun, president Of the
.onventiOn, declared this In his speech ON
tGa report of the committee ON franchise
Ne said the simple purpose Of the conven-
ron. and he did not propoe to disguise
tbp fact. WAS to devise a scheme whereby
minority of the people in the state
conld domonate the malorlty-to nu'lity it,
in fact. q,
= boldly and above board That was
what the people had sent the delegates
here for.
ale would mot countenance any shams,
for there was no use in try ing to fool any
bojv. He proposed to declare the truth
tbe real purpose-if it bursted the bottom
ont of the universe. If it was not the pur-
nose to put the minority over the majority,
then he could not conceive for what the
convention was in session. Some dipo-
matte gentlemen say:
"Oh, no; don't talk about the negro
that won do
He did not fear the negro and, next to
his cwn people, preferred him to any other
race ON eal tn, and he undertook to say
that The negro was better fitted to take up
the civilization and government of this
people than any of the other FIVE races
Known to exist. But the fiat had gone
forth, and he meant to maintain 1.-THE
white people shall rule Mississippi. He
did not propose to rule the state by intimi-
dation. He proposed to rule on the basis
of intelligence He referred to possible
divisions among the white people, and de-
cared that he had rather be ruled absolute
" by the blacks than by combination of
aminority of whites with the blacks.
He declared that there had been but
two plans submitted that would make
white supremacy absolutely certain for all
time. and that was by plural voting as
provided for in the Campbell plan or the
electoral college scheme, the product of
himself and several other gentlemen.
After paying decided compliment to
the eminent ability of Judge Campbe !,
the speaker proceeded to discuss the
scheme submitted by himself. He said
that if there was to be gerrymander,
then his scheme was the most effective
that had yet been presented. He discussed
it in detail as to state and county officers.
sauvely answering questions propounded
to him by members and held the floor for
two hours, being listened to with marked
attention throughout.
The provision is to disfranchise them
on account of their ignorance but the
truth is that they persist in voting the re-
publican ticket Take the municipal elee-
ton that took place in Jackson, the capi-
tai of the state, last year, where negroes
we're kept from the polls by the Winchcs-
ter rife clubs from the adjoining counties;
the Swamp Angels. of which company
Senator Georges son was lieutenant,
were there. The scene changes. A few
weeks ago proposition was submitted to
the qualified voters to vote 500 900 to build
railroad from Mobile, Ala, by wa. of
jackson, Miss. 1t was necessary to have
two thirds of the registered voters vote
for the issuance of the bonds. The negroes
were entreated and persuaded to vote.
The morning after the election the Com
mOnweath, leading democratic paper,
proclaimed ''the colorec troops fought
nobly.' The buldozing democrats want
to perpetuate themselves in power by a
new constitution DISTINGUISHING republi-
cans.
Calhoun declares the object and means
used, George, who is author of the shot
qua policy inaugurated in 1876, and by
which he has proited, holding office con-
hnualy under this. says there has been no
wrong. This office holders convention re-
eeiyed only about 10000 votes out of l.
100000. One county voted four votes, An
other sixteen. They have worked this
negro-Supremacy scarecrow for all 1t Is
worth to influence northern sentiment.
Why don't these republicans rise up and
assert themselves? Because they can't,
without being massacred. Tho democrats
have the telegraphs, railroads, the militia,
the money on their side Do these white
democrats want to get rid of the negro?
If so, they could without an illegal act. by
refusing to hire or share rent with him.
They would have to leave. Tho enabling
act 10y which Mississippi was received
back IN the union was that the right o.
suffrage and the public school clauses then
IN her constitution should never be
changed. The judiciary committee of the
convention declares now, after enjoying
the emOluments of office under the act for
twenty years, it is null and void. If this Is
SO. where is Mississippi-in or out of the
union. With this condition of affairs, Is
there republican government in Mlssis-
SippI. as the United States government
glaran .ees?
Inc object for which the convention
met has been attained. so far as any con-
yentlon could reach the matter Ill hand
ihe task set it was to devise some way to
disfranchi'e the negro, or at least enough
OF them to render white rule possible
without resort to the shotgun u false
counting. The moral sense of the comun-
liyhld so far aroused itself as to demand
me trial of some device for drawing the
i5e race line at the polls without blood
.hed or fraud color Of law was sought
ior ,ubstantiai violation of both the con-
Ssun,lon Of the United States and the act
" which the state was readmitted into
tat union. After a great deal of brain
eldgeIing plan has been devised which
meets with the favor of the conven-
non and may be set down as the latest
t1lng IN suffrage.
Iah distinctive and original idea is to
iT4aire the voters to not only read the con-
sLl5atlon Of the state but he able 10 under
sand the same when read to him; or give
reasonable Interpretation thereof. This
sss1gstIcal test is novelty. The patent
olee could hardly refuse to vest in the in
sh'ar Of proprietary interest amount
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