New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-11-25
THE soUTH AND NEGRO SUFrRAG E

The Southern view of negro suffrage is
strongly emphasized in certain comments re-
Gently made by leading Southern men on the
political disorders which eliminated early this
month in the overthrow Of the legally estab-
liShed city government OF Wilmington. y. &.
As was perhaps TO be expected. the suppress
sion by mob violence Of 4 municipal admins
tratiOn based on the will Of "A declared ma
jority meets no serious censure either as an
invasion of the rights Of the dispossesscd Off
cialS or as an affrOnt TO public order Opinion
in The South seems TO be unanimous in sus-
tanning the resort TO force by which black rule.
so-called, was oyerihrown in Wilmington, and
there is Southern statesman bold enough,
apparently 10 admit that in similar contin-
gency his respect for the fundamental law of
the Republic that the will Of the ma jority shall
control in government would be proof against
the current sentiment which demands exclusive
white supremacy in politics at the sacrifice Of
any and all the written guarantees Of statutes
and Constitution.
Carried 10 their logical conclusion agitatons
like that which upset the local government of
Wilmington aim at the complete exclusion Of
the negro from all share in the activities of
political life North Carolina is not a negro
State. Its white population far outnumbers It's
black population. and its white voters east from
three-fifths 10 two-thir,ls Of the suffrage in
every election. State or Presidential Actual
negro domination in State affairs is plainly i'm
possible. The real anmus of the Wilmington
motive is. therefore, To be found in a desire
10 crush that union of considerable fraction
OF the white voters with the blacks which
has carried a certain number Of negroes into
DOstS If minor pmOlumput and authori.v II
the North Carolina outbreak and the manner
IN which il has been received mean ANYTHING
they mean that opinion in the South has
reached that point nj which il cOntemplates
the elimination Of the negro as u voter and
office holder a. one Of the fixed necessities If
further political and social progress The de
termination of the South to rid itself Of negro
suffrage and all that II involves *. indeed
written large in every direction In States
like South Carolina and Mississippi negro
voters have been disfranchi>cd under legal
forms. In States like Virginia Alabama and
Louisiana the right of the blacks 10 suffrage
IS nullihed by partisan control of the machin
cry Of elections Now. in North Carolina. VIC
cncc is appealed TO TO undo the results Of two
o. three years Of fair ballot and an honest
count. and when Southern opinion is consulted
ton frauds and disorders the only solutions
offered are absolute non-inierfercncc with pres
cnt conditions or wholesale deportation Of
the Southern blacks las n duty Ia the race
and for the sake Of humanity
That the people of the South are sincere
in their view that the suppression OF negro
suffrage. in whole or in part. is the one lc'l-
uisltc of political safety need not he doubted.
rh.ra If isfi
and cminencc Ike Professor Booker r. Wash
ington, who seem to admit that the negro
races sole hope Of progress lies in an aban-
Comment Of politics and a concentration Of all
its energies the work of industrial cduca-
ton and advancement. To earn his title +, the
suffrage the negro should. In this view es-
citizen; and his place once won in the world
Of industry. his resumption Of political activi-
ties might be accomplished without friction
or prejudice. Till then. however. in Southern
eyes, the negro is 10 he Judged a political
zero: In the words Of no less distinguished a
Southerner than Senator Morgan he cannot
AT present BE admitted 10 the family circle
"of the white race or TO domination 10 govern
''ment. whstever voting strength he may pos
"scss In any locality.
One curious test has vet to he applied 10 the
sincerity Of the average Southerner's belief
that the suppression Of negro suffrage is ono
Of the crying needs Of the present day. Ac-
cordlng 10 the second section Of the XVIII
Amendment 10 the Constitution. when a State
denies. except for crime. to any Of It's male
inhabitants. twcnty-one years Of age and clti-
zens Of the United States. the right 10 vote M
any general election. the basis of that States
representation in the lower branch ~ CON
gress shall u" reduced in the proportion which
the number of citizens disfranchised bears 10
the whole number Of male citizens When
will some Southern statesman have the candor
and courage to introduce and advocate in Con.