The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1890-08-28
LEFT TITHOUT EXCUSE.

With the report Of the Committee
on judiciary before it sweeping away
NIL legal doubts and quibbies as to the
binding force of the so called ''funda-
mental conditions ON which Missis
sippi was readmitted to the Union,
the WY is clearly opened for the Con-
stitutiuual Convention te deal with
the suffrage question as the necessity
of the situation and future safety de-
mand. Will it rise equal to the OC-
casisn and the opportunity 7 Will it'
We confess that the high opinion
We at first entertained of the patriot
ism, courage and craftsmanship of the
convention has been seriously shaken
by she evasive, indirect, preiudiced
way all but a few of its members have
TINS far dealt with this question. 1t
is not denied that moderate proper
ty and educational qualification com
bined will solve the problem, or that
an educational qualification, combin-
ed with longer residence, prepay
ment of poll tax and Australian bal
lot will, or that the acknowledgements
of the intelligent, property owning
women of the State under the Aus
tralian ballot will do the work. The
trouble seems to be a lack of the
nerve, the craftsmanship, the fore
sight to do what may be done.
It is no time for mere temporary
expedients such as redistricting the
State, increasing the appointing pow
er, or even modified form of the
Australian ballot. The Convention
should build the political temple on
rock, not upon sand OF stubble. Any
plan based on the assumption that
there will always be white unity in
Mississippi, regardless of men or
measures, will fall to the ground.
The effort should be the rather to al
lay, not perpetuate race antagonism,
to insure free ballot and a fair count,
and to provide way whereby the in
telligent, property owning, honest,
patriotic, home loving citizens of both
races may honestly divide on public
issues without danger of subiecting
the interests of all to the mercy of the
corrupt, ignorant and vicious of both
races. The best people are heartily
tired of the shot gun and Winchester,
ballot-box stuffing and ring govern
ment, and if substitute is not found
and applied by the Convention, thous-
ands of them will leave the State in
despair.
What the Convention seems to need |
is about IS men with the conviction
of duty and the courage of Mr.. La
mar when, on a noted occasion, re-
CARELESS of popular clamor, regard
less of Legislative instructions, regard
less of his own political future, he
dared to do what he believed to be
right.
Let the Convention be brave and do |
is necessary and the sober
second thought of the best citizenship
of the State will sustain it. That's
what it was called for and what the
people expect. 1t will be much cas-
er to undo hereafter what may be
Dverdone, than to redeem what is
eft underdone.
Future generations will judge the
Convention in the light of its oppor-
tunities and responsibilities. If it
fails to do what is so clearly necessary
and what it so clearly has the power
to do touching the suffrage, that judg- |
ment will be, that with some honora-
ble exceptions, it was not Il Conven-
ton of statesmen, if indeed it was
not something worse than a body of
narrow visioned, short GIFTED pa
triots-a pack of cowardly, self seek
ing demagogues who knew their duty,
betrayed their trust and did it not.