Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-01-19
Suffrage in virginia.


we publish under the initials J. -. d.
a communication urging that an euoca-
tional qualification for the exercise OF SUI
frare be adopted by Virginia. Inc
writer IS a man who. while taking the
deepest interest IN public AFFAIRS Is III
no vise a politician, or office-seeker. lie
gives his views with the patriouc pur-
pose Of helping. II he may 10 soi'e
problem which has confronted every
Southern state. and which Is at this very
moment uppermost in the minds OF many
Vircinians. He knows OF all the pro-
positions that have been made to amehd
our election laws, but he believes 'hat
We cannot hope TO conclude this question:
Of suffrage until a constitutional anehu-
ment has been adopted making an euu-
cational qualification He states tha' III
1850 by the United States census, ohiy
II per cent. OF the white population OF
Virginia over 10 years Of age was IL
Iiterate. while 81 per cent. OF the col
ored population was illiterate. And he
argues that. as the State has for years
mast offered every inhabitant OF virginia
under % years Of age common-schooi
education. she can claim that there
IS no valid excuse why any Of her people
should be illiterate. Should such an edu-
cational qualification seem a hardship
TO her old soldiers. who were giving
their bodies as living breastwork in de-
fence OF their State. while others were
at school," he says. "let her exempt
all her old soldiers from the educational
qualification. Some of the New England
States make exemptions in favor Of old
soldiers, and Vermont excludes ex-Con-
federates from suffrage"
The suggestion that veterans or the
Mexican war and of the war for south
ern independence might be exempted
from the operations Of the amendment
was made in the Dispatch two years
ago. and we have heard no objection to 1t
from lawyers. We do not see how there
could be any. If the constitutional amend
ment were made to apply alike TO whites
and blacks. to Federal and Confede-
rate veterans The necessity for dis
franchising the men who gave up all op-
portunities for education to bear arms
for Virginia would then be avoided.
We might still further extend our sys-
TEN as the Louisianans propose TO do
theirs. by providing that the eduea-
tional qualification should not be re-
/ dured Of any voter who pays taxes upon
two hundred dollars worth Of property.
The Dispatch IS not yet prepared to
say that a constitutional amendment
such as this would be the best that
could be devised. or that IL could be sub
I mitted with sure promise that it would
be adopted by the people But OF this
we feel sure-that the people Of Virginia
will never be content until such restric-
tons are put upon suffrage as viii
I give permanent peace to the state.
Doubtless, IT viii be I'm the power OF
the legislature to amend the Walton
law so that II will satisfy the great
majority OF voters, for the time being.
certainly: but the best security for
lasting peace would be the adoption OF
an amendment 10 the Constitution taking
II out of the power of ignorant and venal
voters to menace the peace and prosperity
/ of the State. Then. n we chose-we
| doubt II the people would so choose-we
might return 10 viva-voce voting.
/ Not one OF the bills offered as sub
stitute for the Walton law would dis
pose OF the suffrage question permanent
". II IS conceded on all hands. we
believe. that never will the whites OF
Virginia or any county or city OF Vir-
ginia be willing TO be ruled by their
former slaves. On this point there can
be no question. And yet not one Of the
new election bills would make the po-
litical condition OF this State better
than it is now.
II may be possible TO take one feature
from one bill and another from another,
and so blend a bill which will meet the
necessities Of the hour; but we are not
very hopeful OF success in this direction.
1t is clear, we think. that unless the
| Legislature can give US something bet
ter than the Walton law. it would better
let it alone-or amend it no farther
than TO cure its obvious defects.
But in any event. 1t is more than
likely that tho suffrage question will
long command the attention of Vir-
ginans. To many ii furnishes one Of
the chief arguments in favor Of holding
a constitutional convention. Careful
observers Of public opinion must know
that a constitutional convention cannot
be delayed very much longer Two
men are now found favoring a convention
where a year or two ago there was but
one. and the growth of this sentiment
will continue as long as our elections sys-
TEN is a matter Of dispute. such as it
l.