The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-03-09
The Negro and the Ballot.

Professor Boxer 4. Washington, pres
ident of the Tuskegee, Ala, institute
for the agricultural and industrial
training of negro youth, has addressed
to the members of the Louisiana con-
stitutional convention noteworthy
letter upon the question of disqualify-
ing the negroes in that state from vot-
ing. 1t will be recalled that Professor
Washington, who is perhaps the best
esteemed colored man in the United
States, has throughout his public ca
rcer endeavored To dssuade his race
from political agitation, his belief be-
ing that the negro needs education and
industrial development rather than
public office. In this letter he re-iter-
atos this idea but also SAYS:
The negro agrees with you that it is
necessary to the salvation of the south
that restriction be put upon the ballot.
l know that you have two serious prob
lens before you.-ignorant and corrupt
government on the one hand, ami on
the other way to restrict the ballot
SO that control will be in the hands of
the intelligent without regard to race.
With the sincerest sympathy with you
in your efforts to find a way out of
the difficulty, j want to suggest that
no state in the south can make q law
that will provide an opportunity or
temptation for an ignorant white man
without injuring both men. No state
can make a law that can thus be exe-
cuted without dwarfing for all time the
morals of the white man in the south.
Any law controlling the ballot that is
not absolutely just ana fair to Doth
races Will work more permanent in
jury to the whites than to the blacks.
THE negro does not object TO an edu-
Cational or property test, but let the
law be so clear that no one clothed
with state authority will he tempted to
pcrjure ard degrade himself by put
ting one Interpretation upon it for the
white man and another for thefblack
ma2. Study the history of the south,
and you will find that where there has
been the most dishonesty in the matter
of voting there you will find today the
lowest moral condition of both races.
First, there was the temptation to act
wrongly with the negro's ballot. From
this 1t was an easy step to dishonesty
with the white mans ballot, to the
carrying of concealed weapons, to the
murder of negro, and then 20 the
murder of a white man, and then to
lynching. | ontreat you not to pass
such a law as win prove an eternal
milestone about the neck of your chill
dren. No man can have respect for
government and officers of the law
when he knows deep down in his heart
that the exercise of the franchise is
tainted with fraud"
Professor Washington admits that
civilization has been confronted with
| few problems so serious and intricate
| as was involved in the sudden enfran-
chisement of 4,5OO,OOO ignorant and inn
poverished eX-slaves. There IL, in his
opinion, only one solution complete
and kindly justice. lie adds:
| beg of you that in the degree that you
| close the ballot box against the ignorant
you open the school house. More than
| one-half of the people of your state are
! negroes. No state can long prosper when
| a large percentage of it's citizenship rs In
| ignorance and poverty, and has no inter.
est in government. i beg of you that you
| do not treat us as an alien people. We
| are not aliens. You know us. You know
that we have cleared your forests tilleC
! your fields, nursed your children and pro.
| tected your families. There is an attach
ment between us that few understand
While do not presume to be able to ad
| wise you, yet 1t Is in my heart to say that Il
your convention would do something that
would prevent for all time strained rela,
tions between the two races, and woult
permanently settle the matter of politca
| relations in one southern state at least
let the very best educational opportunl
ties be provided for both races; and added
| to this the enactment of an election Law
that shall be incapable of unjust dscrim
| iEation, at the same time providing thaI
in proportion as the ignorant secure edu
cation, property and character, they will
! be given the right of citizenship. Any
| other course will take from one half you
citizens interest in the state and hope anC
ambition to become intelligent producers
and taXpayers-to become useful ana vir
tuous citizens. Amy other course will II,
the white citizens Of Louisiana to a body
of death. The highest test of tn,
| civilization of any race is in its willing
ness to extend helping hand TO the lesi
fortunate. A race, like an individual, lift
itself up by lifting others up Surely M
people ever had a greater chance to ex
hibit the highest Christian fortitude an,
magnanimity than is now presented I,
the people of Louisiana. 1t requires ut
tie wisdom or craftsmanship to repress
TO crush out, to retaId the hopes and as
pirations of a people, but the highest an'
most profound craftsmanship Is shown II
guiding and stimulating a people SO tina