The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1894-07-21
SUFFRAGE IN THE SOUTH.

SUFFRAGE IN THE SOUTH.
The Democratic press of New Or
leans is q unit in opposition to the new
suffrage amendment reported to the
Democratic caucus of the Louisiana
Legislature.
This proposed amendment to the
constitution provides that the voter:
"Shall be an intelligent person, uu-
derstanding the principles of our gov
ernment, and understad or interpret
the constitution of this state when read
to him, or shall be bona ide owner
of property, real or personal, located
in the state and assessed to him for
the year next proceeding the election
at cash valuation of not less than
$780,"
It is frankly admitted by the New
Orleans Times Democrat and the Plea
yataae that this is an attempt to dis
franchise the greater part of the negro
vote, and with that purpose both these
papers are in sympathy. But the edi-
tors of these papers, like many other
white men in the south, says an ex-
change, are beginning to see the dan
ger of such trickery in politics, for it
already begins to react on the better
class of white citizens. The constitu-
tional convention of Mississippi adopted
this understanding clause" that the
negroes might be dlsfranchised and the
ignorant whites allowed to vote. The
register of voters is the judge of a
voters qualification. This amendment
clothed that petty official with absolute
power to make up the list Of legal
voters.
He can read to negro section of
the constitution relating to the juris-
diction of courts over which even the
judges on the bench may differ. To
the white man the register may read a
simple article which any man can un-
derstand. This was very simple way
of maintaining white supremacy as
long as 1t was used simply for that
purpose. But the division of the white
voters into factions has awakened the
better class of citizens to the danger
of clothing a petty politician with the
absolute power of making up the list of
voters. "Who will Youch for the
honesty Of the register of voters9" asks
the Picayune, and proceeds as follows:
"Of course it is understood that this
arbitrary and absolute censorship of
suffrage, this setting up in each par
ish of dictator whose decree shlll
confer or take away at his sovereign
will the right to vote, is intended to
beat the negroes; but what guaranty is
there. to take a narrow view of the
matter, that his decision will not be
used against the whitesq"
The Times-Democrat asks the same
question:
"Can we feel certain that this tricky
clause viii not be used some day
against the whites themselves in many
parishes by officers who wish to con-
tinue themselves in powerq
What is true of Louisiana is true
Of all the southern states. The better
class of citizens are awakening to the
danger of clothing election officers
with the power to make up the lists
of voters. The cry of negro domina-
ton is losing its hold upon the whites
since in Alabama, South Caroline,
Virginia, Louisiana and Mississippi,
small cliques of oficers-holders have
used it to perpetuate their power and
dlsfranchise white men by the same
trickery they employ against the neg
roes.S They are learning that trickery
in politics thrives without the aid of
tricky laws, and that such constitu-
tional amendment as that adopted in
Mississippi and proposed for Louisiana
is a greater danger to the south than
the negro vote. Some leading Repub
lican papers have time and again
pointed out this danger of class DIS
elimination to the southern whites,
and we are glad to note that sucn
papers as the Picay1'ae and Tswes-
Democrat in New Orleans have taken
a bold stand against 1t.