The Opelousas courier., 1897-07-03
suffrage and the CONSTITUTIONS, Con,
vention.

n!ist we discuss the question of a
qualiiied suffrage. it were well to look
| ae iacts as they actually exist
Hof vanity or State pride does not in
ci,ie US TO he entirely honest with our
seiVts. Our reflections on the subject
oes'h with an erroneous impression of
our intellectual attainments
| we take It for granted that the
hhoWease nt letters is more general
:"" oe'ter disseminated than it really
Our orators (9) cater to the vanity of
the hoi PoUoi to win annl.nss "r "r
through ignorance of fact or an over
| tences 'o''-
-, Ihe public journals are inclined to do
likewise. but are not so much given to
| exageratioD. "
In both, the timid assertion and hold
ing ing forth OF plain truth, are roticeabie.
Inc public speaker seeks applause. the
journalist the circulation of his paper.
Neitief hopes to win success without
pieasing the masses. Whilst this ia
prompted by very natural self in-
tefest, we cannot avoid the belief that
regardless OF the public vanity it were
tar better, IN the long run to unveil the
truth, and give to the popular view an
nnhest exposition of their Ignorance.
we are free to confess the general diff
fusion OF every day knowledge, and
would be as proud as Lucifer. if we
couldtrnthfnlly say it is not confined
Go limited number. The statistics of
the census OF 1880 disclose the unpleas-
ant fact that when taken, 40 per cent.
OF the edncable people of Louisiana
hneO not hoW to rrite. This announce
ment will doubtless astound many of
VnS 81
or those who have been officially de-
puted to investigate the matter. Start
ing from due consideration Of this
fact, how are we going to establish, by
convention, qualified suffrage whici,
can work no hardships, and still pro
tect the government from the MANY
evils to it. resulting from ilIiteracy
we may find many, We may say com
paraIvely rery many. who would prefer
a property qualification,-others wonld
stand out for educational. and some
MAINTAIN that the two should be COM
bined.
1t is, therefore, impossible to arrive
at any standard that would be entirely
satisfactory. To those who maintain
that property qualification would or
might suffice, it may be replied that we
have many mOnied idiots scattered
about who know no more about govern
ment than an infant about astronomy
To those who prefer an educational
qualification, it may be said that in mat
ters of suffrage, a little Learning" has
beenAesctIcaily shown to be "dange-
rotfs thing" Tie INSCRIPTIONS man
who has learned jnst enough TO read a
little and to write his name mecElani-
cally, often sells himseI for price up
On the little influence his learning gives |
him over such as are not as fortunate rs |
himself.
To those who hold that learning and !
property should be combined, fewer OBJ
jecuiOns can be iDterpOsed for obvions |
reasons. 1t may be said in favor of this
theory that the voter who possesses
both these can he more relied on, be-
cause he is supposed to know that
what he intlicts be must feel. Self pro-
lection being law of nature, it is but
natural to theorize that he will not will
fully cast vote to iDjnre himself
The Constitutional Convention which
it is proposed to hold, must necessarily
grapple with these different PROPOSE
tiOns.
But there is one view not yet present
ed, which concerns candidates for
Office. 1t would appear that if some
lheory could be so carried out as TO
have them suffer- the consequences Of
any and all schemes to c,cumvent and
avoid the purpose of the election laws,
great gUsd would result.
To say that good laws should be
made by lawmakers, which they the
and their supporters may
violate with absolute impunify, for the
sake OF the offices, is to say hat gov
is a Dlockery and Il deiusion to
all good citizens.