St. Tammany farmer., 1897-09-04
The Suffrage Amendment


The Alexandra Town Talk likes
none Of the plans Of suffrage amend
ment proposed by various writers
in the Times-Democrat and other
papers, and suggests that We could
not do better than 60 back to the
suffrage amendment voted down IN
April, 1896. II that amendment
had been voted down because the
people objected to it. there might
be good reason for not bringing it
up again. As q matter Of fact,
however, it is we'll known that an
overwhelming majority Of the white
voters of Louisiana favored the
amendment, and that all but . few
illiterates and . few candidates
who wanted the illiterate vote,
would have enthusiastically support
ed it but for the unwise clause it
contained, which gave the Legis-
lature Of 1896 the right to change
or modify the suffrage without cub
hitting the matter back for the ap
proval of the people. The Times
Democrat objected to this clause
At the time, as it provided that af-
Ter tic people had passed on the
suffrage the Legislature should re
vize, change and amend their action.
THIS lost the amendment some
support it would otherwise have
obtained, but it was finally killed
BY the wild rush for place OF the
Office seekers. Throughout the State
they betrayed the amendment in
the hope of winning the negro and
illiterate white vote; but while do
ing 80 it was universally conceded
that with the exception Of the legis-
lative clause the amendment was
q good one and would fully meet
the conditions prevailing in Louisi-
ana.
Let US revive it now, says the
Town Talk. It is short. We know
exactly what il means. 1t has no
uncertainty and vagueness about 1t.
1t has been thoroughly discussed
aud analyzed, and it is not as
though come new plan or propO-
sition was being brought before the
people.
Speaking Of . voters qnalifica-
tions it declares tina: she shalt be .
naturalized citizen: shall be able to
read the Constitution of the State
in his mother tongue, or shall be
bona fide owner Of property, real
or personal, located in the State and
assessed to him at . cesh valuation
of not less than $780,"
Town Talk can see no objection
to any of these clauses. The con-
ditions proposed for the suffrage
are more liberal than those in most
OF the other plans suggested, and
would assure a larger electorate,
hut an electorate free from igno-
rance and illiteracy.
''rhe amendment before the peo-
pie in 1885," says Town Talk, lis
short and easily understood. It Is
reasonable. It says in plain words
that q man that cannot raed and
pays no taxes cannot vote. This is
fair. It knocks out all the igno-
rant vagrants. It will give Louisi-
ana fair elections, with no danger
Of the federal courts interfering.
The negro srook IN politics will
be gone forever. We are not
afraid of the negro who pays tax
es."
The property clause will let in
the great bulk Of the white litter
ates in Southweit Louisiana. II
has been sentimcntally suggested
that some old Confederate veterans
may be excluded by this provision.
We doubt il there is \ hundred such
in the State: and it would certainly
be unwise to complicate the su!-
frage qualifications in order to
bring them in. Yet il sentiment
suggests that this ought to he done,
and that no man who took up arms
for his State should be disfranchised
by il, . special clause might be in-
serted in the amendment giving
Confederate veterans the right to
vote without regard to other quali-
ficatlons- this can be constitu-
tionally done.
The only possible objection that
might be raised in regard 10 the
property clause is that it would let
in too many negro voters. An ex-
animation Of the assessment rolls
will show however, that this clause
as a matte. Of fact will grant the
franchise to very few negroes, not
over few thousand in the entire
State. The number Of negro prop
erty holders Is small, and nearly all
of them can read and write, and
would enjoy the suffrage under the
educational qualification, even If an
alternative property qualification
did not exist.
We are satisfied that it is the de.
sire Of the people Of Louisiana to
have the suffrage provisions Of the
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