The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1894-10-24
Glle geEall and NeWs.
THE BALLOT Of THE POOR MAN.
LARRY CAN'T SAYS 1T MOsT BE PRO
TEETED.
No Constitutional Convention should be
Held Unless us Work is Submitted
TO iHe People for Ratification or
EtjectIon-A Warming 10 The
Poor aud Unlettered
white Alien az
tho State.
THE BALLOT or THE POOR MAN.
{ From the Piedmont Headlight

state his position on the Constitutions
Convention question 50 That It cannon
be misunderstood or miSiGlerpTeted. In
the first place, We are not opposed tC
the calling Of Constitutional C0nven-
tiHn, if convinced that the people really
---.ll@@ssttFe- IL iACgr this expense; aud We
also believe that it is necessary and i'm
pnFtant 10 either amend our present
Constitution or make a new one. But
Just at this time with cotton at less
than six cents a pound, ana our farHi-
ers pressed to pay debts, we very much
DOUBT the wisdom of eXpend!ng the
large sum necessary We have lived
under the old Constitution for about
thirty years, and can afford to do so Tor
awhile longer aud see if times viii not
get better
In answer to this the advocates of a
Convention argue that a Constitution
will save many times It's cost by taking
from the blacks great portion of their
school appropriation and give it to the
white children Now, no one more
earnestly fay0rs, than the editor of this
paper, a more equitable division of our
school fund, and we further believe
that, after nearly thirl of century
of emancipation, il the colOred race can
not 'ttote their own skillet,h that they
should not require the whites to edu-
cate them longer. But We must re-
member that our upper counties, where
the whites largely prsdnniuate, do not
so keenly feel this injustice as the
IS lawes black belt; yet, at the same time,
II is our duty to pra,ect all sections
alike. But the negro, under our regis
sration laws, is practically dlsfran-
chised and plays hut an insignificant
part in politics.
Should such an amendment be pro-
posed, or even new Constitution sub
mitted to the people containing this
pr0visi0a, it would be carried over
whelmiUgly EE popular vote. 1t will
take two years at least for the United
States Supreme Court to settle the cou-
stitutionality of our registration laws,
and which will give us ample time to
regulate this school business.
Another argument is that the Con
stitutipnai Convention is a Reform
measure and was advocated in our first
demands, This is tr9e; but we must
also bear in mind that the rule of the
people and the will Of the people are
the mu6sills Of the Reform party, and
We do not believe that it was ever in
tended that the organic law of our
State should he 0verha1le9 without
giving the voters an opportunity to
say whether or not they sanctioned the
proposed changes. When we delegate
to one hundred and sixty-nine men y
power bei0ngiag TO the whole people
we tfampie s sacred Covenant with the
voters under foot, and give to the world
an example Of concentrated power such
rs no State in our Union has ever dared
to assume.
Ii is said that it is optional with the
Convention whether or not the new
Constitution be submitted to the peo-
pie for ratification or rejection. And
this is our most serious objection 10 the
- same. We insist that it be made oe-
hgatory 0n the part Of the members of
the Convention TO submit their work
to the voters. We we'll know that il
will never be done otherwise. This new
Constitution will not he framed for the
especial benefit and behoof of one hun
0re9 and sixty men, but for the whole
people of our State, aud every legal
ize0 voter should have d voice in say
ing whether or not he will accept is.
Bat toe principal argument in favor
of ! Constitutional Convention Is that
We must dlSfranchise the negro vote so
Us to prevent tie Ants from using him
IN 1885. Since the adoption of = gen
erai primary, where every white nSu
has been given the right 70 cast his bah
lot direct for the candidates Of his
choice, the danger has passed, for the
color lines were never So strongly
drawn ~ Southern State. No party,
and no faction, Will dare appeal from
such a decision, for it would mean q
direct and open bid for the negro vote,
aud You could not carry $,0lV white
men IN the entire State. Such q bug
Gear. IS nonsense, aud Will not deceive
any Intelligent voter,
Now, let US argue this little and
see Il We cannot convince our Consti-
lon-supporting friends that while
&iSfcauchising the black poan they are
also inlperiilng the sQfsrage of a certain
class of our white population. There
are but two ways in which We can pos
Sihly deprive the negro OF ais right to
vote: Through an educational or pro
perSy qualification. You cannot dis
crimiuate In law, and statute that
applies TO the poor and jgaofant negro
must apply with equal force to the poor
aud pnlet tered white man.
Let US suppose that the first propo-
sitiun is acted ON, and q property quail
fcation Tor suffrage is aaopted by:thas
Constitutional Convention. Do you
know that faiiy one-third Of the white
population Of South CaroGna do not
own 500 worth OF properGy3 Vet such
IS truly the case, aud We would build
MP 10 South CaFoEna a money oiigar-
chy, Just s,}ch ss the people overturned
in 1890. Vet such would be the case.
And when yoa once restrict suffrage it
Viii never. be restored, foE experience
has taugat the people of this Stase the
te0acity vita Which a'Qepose3 faction
VIII work to recover what they bave
host. DlsfraUchise the poor White man
and tavse IN whom bis power has beep
invested viii never again re!ine Qisa it /
Without 8 struggle,
Tue second proposition is to have, an
educational Qualification, ike ia Mis-
siSsjppj, where, before S D2&b caI Vote, !
he. must read = ceEtaia clause IN the
Co0StitGtjon Of bis State understand
i0giy, Now, IL the middle and lower
sections of South Carolina, nearly |
every white man is educated, for they /
owGe6 their slaves before the wac &DG !
schools. are puDlecops. But With regret /
We say that It is Dot the case ia ouC
upper cQuaIies. Take Spartan burg,
foT jDst&Bee, &Gd there are many poor /
and Q0eGUcated white NEE aDo0g Us. /
And it IS DoS jbeiT taUit either, foEl,bey I
had to work hard for = living, and were +
col oogD with s. silver spoon 10 their /.
;uoG&h, as were ghs!r. more Fortunate /
DejShhoEs, IB 0lle pyecioc5 above the /
AIT I<Be Ro&G there are eighty old !
white voters who DO not k9ow s letter
in The BOOK, While DR., Mikes, OF Hob !
o>'s, tells Is that be recently baG occa- .
s!o8 70 ge& a paper Witnessed ard to bis .
surprise toD&I IAl-tee2I white C2e8 v ho +
cu&id Go1 sign their 0aUss. A0a .
sHoDg laeSe gG!etteseG voieyS YOU Mil .
fad many Of ,&.l best citizens.
Now, wheU We p}&ce al educational
clause IA our Co9st5tHllo8, YOU tske