Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1897-02-04
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1897.
RESTRICTED SUFFRAGE.


recently sent out circular letter to voters
in the State in which he states that it is |
now time to get rid of the Underwood,
or black and tan" constitution. He is
trying to work up sentiment for a new
constitutional convention, and is using the
"black and tan" argument to awaken the
prejudices of the people in favor Of the
movement which he is engineering. He
and his associates are playing a very
wicked game for party ends, and are hid
ing behind a pretended hostility to our
present constitution. Their real aim is to
secure the adoption of a constitution
which the Democratic machine can en-
ploy for its perpetuation In power. Their
scheme is, first, to get the people. to vote
for holding convention, then to get control
of that convention, and to frame constitu-
ton which will not only be loaded with
suffrage restrictions in the nature of edu-
cational and property qualifications, but
that will also place in the hands of its
minions, the registrars, an unlimited
power in the application of the tests that
will be used to determine whether man
possesses the qualifications for voting as
required by the constitution. If we are
correct in our conclusions, no more hellish
plot has. ever been conceived or threat
ened. Some of the organs of the modern
Democracy in Virginia ale already advo-
eating restricted suffrage. One of these
is the Evening World, of Roanoke, which
is stepping very boldly to the front. Re
Gently it editorially announced that new
constitution would be likely to provide for
educational and property qualifications,
and perhaps military qualification, for
voting. In the leading editorial of its is
sue of the 2Sth ult., the World announces,
in terms, that while Democracy means uni
versal manhood suffrage, it feels that re-
strictictions upon voting should be made
in Virginia. The World gives as reasons
for its undemocratic attitude the follow
ing:
SIN the country at large, We have a
mass of colored people, endowed with cit
isenship while they were yet Ignorant, and
by no means capable of participating In
the government of a civilized nation.
Then there is a large foreign element con-
stantly pouring into the country, much Of
it venal and ignorant, knowing and car
ing nothing for the principles that lie at
the foundation of our institutions. Of
course there is better foreign element,
which is readily assimilated and which
produces some of our ablest and most pa
triotic public servants"
The World is not ignorant and its intel
ligent readers will be forced to conclude
that it is insincere. The coIored vote in
Virginia is no longer menace to civiliza-
ton, if Democracy is the representative Of
civilization, as is claimed, in the State.
In the counties where the colored people
predominant the negro vote for some years
has been captured by the Democracy.
The Democrats claim in one breath that
the negroes are voting with them and in
the other that the negro vote is a menace
to civilization. Look at Halifax county,
in Maj. Otey's congressional district. 1t
has negro majority of one thousand or
more, and, yet, the majority for the Dem
ocrats in that county is more than one
thousand. Do the negroes vote with the
Democrats or do they steal their votes
The negro scare pretext for the conven-
ton will not do; neither will the pretext
of a Yenal foreign or native element pass.
With the election machinery 80 COM
pletely in the bands of the Democracy,
they have no fears of these two elements,
the negro and the venal white man. DEM
ocracy is alarmed at the continued and
inereasingIopposition that is appearing in
the great white districts of the State. The
poor white workingmen of the State con-
stitute the danger that confronts Democ-
racy. The effort to restrict suffrage viii
be made through fear Of the white work
ingmen. A property and educational
qualification for voting will be used to de-
stroy the power of this new opposition to
Democracy. The Roanoke World is right
when it says that "the question of suf-
frage restriction VIII become living topic
of discussion in Virginia during the next
few months" The friends of universal
manhood suffrage, principle which has
been abandoned by modern Virginia
Democracy, will not permit Maj. Otey and
his followers to commit great crime upon
the suffrage rights of the masses of the
people. No, the alarm is now given its
tones will constantly swell until the peo-
pie of the State shall have become thor
oughly awakened to the efforts of the
political ticksters who are laying plans to
rob them of the right to vote.