Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-12-26
ture. q transition era that is full OF
vastly brighter promise than any that
has preceded II.
Southern Restriction Of Suffrage.

/
states. expresses the opinion. says the
| Chicago Times Herald. that the re-
striction operates as denial of suf-
frage to the blacks, and contravenes
the fourteenth amendment to the con-
| stitution of the United States.
It also declares that the law Of
Georgia, under which every voter must
nay a poll tax before being entitled to
the suffrage, is equally repugnant to
the same constitutional provision. The
| News points out that by means of these
/ laws the negro vote is practically wiped
| out. and vet these states have the same
representation in Congress and in the
| electoral college as if there was no linn
| itation whatever on the suffrage. 1t
says:
To show how the laws of Mississippi
and South Carolina operate in the cleo
| ton of congressman, take the elections
of 1894 The total vote of the several
districts in Mississippi is shown as
| follows: First. $500; second, 5106; third.
1852: fourth. 1864; fifth. 5000: sixth.
6016 seventh, 5124 In South Carolina
the figures were: First, 9543; second.
1913, third. 7l05: fourth. 1l,224: fifth.
/ 90S6: SIXTH l0,630 seventh, 1o,0S6 To-
tai vote in Mississippi. 1851; total vote
/ in South Carolina. 63.645; average vote
per district in Mississippi, $3.50; average
vote per district in South Carolina,
9092 In the same year the average
vote per district in Indiana was $4,000;
| in Texas, $4,000; in Illinois. $4,000; in
! Kentucky. 81, 500; in North Carolina.
| 80. 500; in Connecticut. $500. Beyond
! all question it is manifestly unfair for
5655 voters of Mississippi to have rep
resentatiye in Congress. While in Tex
as it REQUIRES $4,000 to 10000. Indeed,
! in 1894 the vote in the sixth Texas dis
d, trict was 1874, against total of 80
' ISL in the seven Mississippi districts.
| Congress ought not to permit this in
equality to longer exist.
| For these reasons it thinks that Mis-
sissipp's representation in Congress
! should be reduced from seven to two,
and South Cardinals from seven to
three and their representation in the
electoral college cut down in the same
proportion.
f, This is a strong Indictment against
the states named. for there is obvious
injustice done to a large part of the
citizens of those states through their
election laws, but the proposed remedy
does not meet the case. Representa-
| ton in Congress is based on numbers
and not on votes 1t is the population
that is the test. not the ballot box
Women are counted in the representa-
ton. and so are minors and foreigners
but they do not vote.
AS everybody knows. the fourteenth
amendment was aimed at the dis
reimbursement of the negroes as ne
groes. The power of the states over the
qualifications for suffrage was not
touched but if n state deprived an!
particular class of its citizens OF tht
right to vote. then these citizens should
not be enumerated in the basis fol
congressional representation.
Now the negroes. as a class are moi
deprived of the right to vote either II
Mississippi or South Carolina OF
Georgia. No rule is made for the eX
ercise of the right of suffrage that doe:
not apply equally to every one, white
. and black The educational tests pre-
scribed are similar to those that arr
in force in many northern states. while
the poll-tax qualification has long beef
familiar to the older states. II is al
easy way of collecting what was once
supposed to be a very laudible tax.
Our Texas contemporary is altogethe
right in saying that this restriction o
the suffrage is an evil that must be re
formed. but it is wrong in it's conclu
sion as to the remedy. Congress can
not interfere in the way proposed. IN
evil is not with the laws in themselves
but with their administration. Tn
fault is with the election boards tina
O apply the test. The ignorant whit
y man is coached and assisted in his eX
G animation. The educated black ma
q is nut down and excluded because h
: cannot answer questions that Nigh
+ perplex a lawyer. The whole thing
+ dishonest and a shame to every citize
of those great commonwealth. VIVA
/. the Galveston News, and other infiu
a entail journals of the south should az
J., is to cultivate and stimulate bette
r and more equitable feeling among tn
q people of the south, SO that these law
a NAV be justly administered. The
should demand a national law tha
would operate everywhere alike. wit
~ a general law of Congress of this kim
J. and a determination on the part of tf
" people that justice should be dor
.lo,,r,, tho haayapS fall we WOlll