The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-03-17
Expert Juggling
With The Suffrage


G7HE suffrage clause prepared by a
committee OF the Louisiana consti-
tutional convention does not indi-
cate that that body will make a
sincere effort to solve this ques-
ton. As now framed it fixes the fol-
lowing requirements for voting: An abil-
ity to read and write, which must be
applca ton for registration in the pres
ence of the registration officer; If unable
to read and write he or his wife or minor
child or children of father or mother, re-
siding III the state, must own and have
paid taxes on at least 500 worth of prop
ertY; If. however, he was a voter in any
state of the Union Cn January ], 1868, or
Is the male descendant of such voter
and not less than q years OF age at the
time OF the adoption of this constitution
he can vote regardless of the educational
and property qualifications.
1t does not need any legal skill to see
through the jugglery attempted in this
clause. TIE educational requirement is as
strict as that in force i'm any state in the
Union and if left alone by itself ii would
insure Louisiana an intelligent suffrage.
But the property qualification and the
qualification of having been voter in
1865 or the male descendant of such Il
voter completely nuilify the educational
requirement. The evident purpose is to
invent some subterfuge by means of
which every white man can vote whine
excluding all or as MANY as possible of
the colored men. There are probably no
white native voters in Louisiana today
who did not vote somewhere in 1865 or
who are not male descendants of such
voters. And even if there is, the proper
ty qualification with its tumble of wife,
children, father or mother as the owner
of $500 worth of assessed property can
be depended upon to supply "A loophole
through which the voter can creep.
This, however. does not cover all the
means by which it Is proposed to dilute
the suffrage in Louisiana. The suffrage
clause also says that mo male person Of
foreign birth who shall have been natur-
allied prior TO the adoption OF this con-
sttution shall ever be denied the right to
register and vote in this state by reason
of his failure to possess the educational
or property qualifications presented by
this constitution" AS this would con-
tinue to admit to the ballot baxes the
illiterate Italian voters, of whom there
are large number in Louisiana and who
have long been "A pest in New Orleans es-
peo!ally, il is not surprising to hear The
newspapers of that city conde:nning the
clause severely. The present constitution
of Louisiana admits to the suffrage any
alien who has declared his intentions and
been one year in the state and all who
have voted under this requirement could
claim the suffrage under the proposed
clause in the new constitution.
o.
The Louisiana convention will make n
grave mistake if il consents to any such
tampering with the suffrage. The palmer
and simpler the requirements the bet
| ter. 1t is now admitted that what is
| known as the understanding" clause in
the Mississippi constitution was a mis-
! take and that a simple educational re-
| Guirement would have heen better. South
| CaTolina's constitution is an improvement
on the Mississippi instrument, but it is
| not free from jugglery. 1t was hoped
| that the Louisiana convention would
| frame a constitution that would be an I'M
| provement on both these states. but the
! work done so far has not realized this
expectation, There is time yet to avoid
mistakes and the severe criticism the pro-
| posed suffrage clause is meeting may en-
| tighten the convention as TO the temper
| of the public on this subject. But IL IL
| does not and some suffrage tumble is
| adopted Louisiana and the Democratic
party which controls the convention will
| have to bear the blame.