New-York tribune., 1890-08-28
TIE MISSISSIPPI PIN.

The phrase "the Mississippi plan" has long
figured in American politics. Every school
how understands precisely what it means. 1t
is synonyme for the meanest and moSt
cowardly form Of violence. 1t stands Tor tne
derivation of colored voters at the South OF
their right of suffrage by means of an Or
ganized system of terrorism. Not many years
ago the Bourbons of Mississippi were accus-
toned to keep the negroes of that State away
from the polls with the shotgun, the revolver
the bludgcon and the torch. They made
mock of the Constitution, they ignored JUS
tice. they had only contempt for the cardinal
American doctrine of equal rights for all
They had respect merely for the rule OF might
their own selfish lawless rule, swapping their
6ncers-their own fingers, the fingers OF the
superior race-at the demands of those whom
tbey so outrageously swindled and oppressed
for fair play.
Well, that sort of Mississippi plan has had
its day. or at all events, is not pursued as
diligently ard openly as it used 70 be. Inc
Mississippi Bourbons at present are aiming 10
snpersede it with plan which is peaceful,
but which, like the old one, has for Its OBJ
iect to suppress the cOlored vote. The Con-
stitutional Convention, which is now in session
in that State, is interesting to the general
public chiefly for the studied attempt which
is being made by the Democrats who control
it to solve the problem of suffrage under ieG'l
forms in such manner that the votes OF the
negroes shall be so handicapped that the
whites shall continue to be the rullI-r class IN
public affairs. Several schemes have been
suggested looking TO the accomplishment OF
- e..
this object The chief of these provides 1of
a reapportonment of the legislative districts
in such a manner that the white counties, aS
they are called, shall elect the majority OF the
lawmakers while the black counties shall
choose only a small minority The fact that
the white counties number only thlrty-thrce
and have a population of only 100000, while
the black collntie, number fOrty-one and nave
a population of $4,000, would make this an
impossible scheme to carry out if IFS projectors
were men who cared more for honesty than
they did for partisan success. But they are
not-vhy should they be, seeing that they
backed the original Mississippi plan? The
fact is that the scheme in question not only is
strongly supported, but another one still more
brazcn and dishonest has many advocates
among the convention delegates and those
whom theY represent. i MS ScCoHd pI'P"7i
ton looks to the making of all Official ap-
pointments Ivy the Governor or the Legs
lature. so that the negroes may be eilectually
shut out of Office. Still another suggested
amendment provides for an educational and
property qualification, but it is doubtful II IT
will be pressed, for two reasons. In the ilrst
place. its adoption would shut out good many
whites as well as blacks, and in the second
pIace, the fact is recalled, which seems to have
been pretty generally forgotten, that the act
of Congress admitting Mississippi into the
Union prohibits the Constitution from being
changed 50 as to take away the right OF voting
from any citizen while the Constitution as II
stands debars a property or an educational
qualification.
| The outcome of the convention Will be
awaited with great interest. The Democracy
of Mississippi is on trial in sight of all the
Nation. Ii is evident that its leaders are the
same in spirit and in tendency as they have
ever been. They are determined to superSedc
the Mississippi plan with all its responsiveness
with a plan which, while it does not look to
physical violence. is equally unjust, equally
un-Amercan. Both plans proceed on the as
sumption that a black man has no rights which
a Bourbon is bound to respect