Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-11-30
The Suffrage I'm North Carolina.
Raleigh News and Observer

The people all over the State are dis
| cussing the best method of securing a
| constitutional provision to limit the suf-
| frage to those who are properly qualified
| to intelligently exercise IL. SO far as we
can judge Of public opinion, there is a
| general feeling that the Legislature will
fail to meet public expectation. If II does
not settle the suffrage question by sub
hitting a proper constitutional amend
ment to the voters at the earliest prac-
| ticable moment.
The Legislature Of 1899 will be the most
| important, az well as the abest, that has
| assembled since 1870. Governor Jarvis
was Speaker of the House at that me-
morable session. and he and his collea-
| CUES did their work so well that the Dem
ocrats held the Legislature for twenty
years. 1t IS our faith that the repre-
sentatives will select the ablest and best
man in the House for Speaker and that
members of both branches will act so
wisely I'm all things that history will re-
peat itself by giving North Carolina
another quarter of a century OF rule by
the Democratic party.
The following letter from Governor
Jarvis shows the steps that must be taken
to amend the Constitutions:
To the Editor: There seems to be con-
siderable discussion going on as TO the
propriety. If not the necessity, of amend
ing our state Constitution in certain par
ticulars. 1t may, therefore. be we'll for
us to have a clear idea of the methods by
which amendments can be made to that
instrument. To that end 1 quote in full
Article XIII. Of the present Constitution.
which is as follows:
ARTICLE II.--AMENDMENTS
Section L Convention; How called.
Convention. 1S75.-No convention of the
people Of this State shall ever be called
by the General Assembly, unless by the
concurrence of two-thirds of all the mem
bers of each House Of the General Assem-
bly,, and except the proposition. Conven-
ton or no Convention, be first submitted
TO the qualified voters OF the whole State,
at the next general election, in manner
to be prescribed by law. And should
majority Of the vote cast be in. favor OF
said convention, it shall assemble on such
day as may be prescribed by the General
Assembly.
Section 2. How the Constitution may
be altered. Convention, 1S75.-No part OF
the Constitution of this utate shall be al
tered unless a bill to alter the same shall
have been agreed 10 by thee-ffths of each
house Of the General Assembly. And
the amendment, or amendments. so agreed
to shall be submitted at the next general
election to the qualified voters Of the
whole State, In such manner as may be
prescribed by law. And in the event OF
their adoption by majority of the votes
cast. such amendment or amendments
shall become a part Of the Constitution
of this state"
/ call special attention to the words
"at the next general election" to be !
found in both sections because they fix |
L h., h. l.,
act. These words are plain and simple, |
and mean exactly what they say-"at the |
next general election" They unqueston- |
ably exclude all idea of a special election. |
The next general election" to occur in |
this State VIII take place on the first |
Tuesday after the first Monday in No |
vember, 1900 Then November 1900 is the |
earliest time the people can be called upon |
TO act under either section.
1t seems TO me that a careful reading of |
section l of Article Nil must convince
any one that no convention can be called |
until the people have sanctioned it and |
that their judgment cannot be taken be-
fore the general election in November,
1900 so that no convention Of the people
can be assembled till after the close OF
this century.
It Is equally clear, 1t seems TO me, that
q careful reading Of section Of Article
XIII. must convince any one that If the
Legislature shall propose an alteration
in the Constitution, it cannot be passed
upon by the people before the general
election in November, 1900.
1t is more than probable that the people
Of North Carolina will be called upon to
consider and pass upon great national
questions at the next general election.
our friends in every position will do we'll
to consider the obstacles that lie in the