The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1898-10-03
A Poor But Noble Woman.

A Poor But Noble Woman.
Here is case in point: A populist of
some influence in his community was given
q postoffice by the republicans in order to
win his support. The income from the
office though small, helped him in support
ing his family. He mad made up his mind
to vote the fusion ticket this year.
A friend who knew how the post mas ter
felt, asked the latter's son how he was 60
ing to vote. The young man, who had just
come of age, replied that he had not made
up his mind but the chances were he
would vote with his father.
What does your mother say" asked the
neighbor.
Mother wants us to vote for the demo-
Gratis on the white mans ticket" said the
youth.
Have you thought that If you vote the
fusion ticket you vote for the negroes
against your own mother"
NO | lad not looked at it that way, but
that is right, and l am going to Noee
mothers ticket"
Let me ask you,'' continued the neigh
Dor, ito get your mother to put the case
to your father as | have put it to you"
The next morning the postmaster went
over early to see his neGhbor.
See here, my friend, you have been in
terfering with my family and my politics, y
the postmaster began good humoredly. My
wife wanted to know last night whether
was going to vote against her or against
the negroes. I told her that If l voted the
democratic ticket. the republicans would
turn me out of the postoflice, and what do
you think she said then? Why, God bless
her she said she knew we were mighty
poor and needed che few dollars we get
out of the office. but she said she would
put up with the poverty and any hardships
without a murmur."
Then what did you say?''
81 lust Rugged the old woman and told
her would vote her ticket. too"
Extent of the Black Belt.
Through the black belt there are not
fifty white republicans to q county, with
possibly three exceptions.
The black belt includes that part of the
state lying east of the Seaboard Airline
railroad, which enters North Carolina above
Weldon passes through Raleigh and crosses
into South Carolina below Monroe. That
is more than one-third the area OF the
whole state.
There are some white counties east OF
the line named Sampson for instance, and
Wayne Johnston and OnsloW, but there
are fully twenty counties In which, when
the whites divide as they did in 1894 and
1906 the negroes control. Wake county, in
which Raleigh, the capital of the state, IL
situated IS controlled by the negroes. They
are IN the minority IS Ip hH'iib'''' bNI
by giving offices to a few white pie hunters
of the Hal Aver stripe, they have been able
to capture the county government. Samp-
son county, which was mentioned as an
exception, Is the home OF Senator Marion
Butler. who was here today. He runs
Sampson county politics. He remarked to
me within the last hour that he is related
to half the white people In the county and
his wife is related to the other half, hence
his influence there is not strange.
/ have stated that the negroes have
strengthened their position by legislation.
They have done it In various ways but the
most effcctuaI of al was the adoption Of
a new registration and election law. In
Georgia. and l believe in most states, a tax
defauter cannot vote. He must keep his
taxes paid up or he loses his ballot The
regis ration books are carefully watched
to prevent minors. non-residents and cX-
convicts from getting on the lists of most
states.
Here the registration law Is very broad.
The gates are thrown open and anyone who
will make oath that he is of legal age and