The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-11-09
INTERESTING ADMISSIONS.
Richmond Dispatch.

Richmond Dispatch.
A discussion is going on at the North
as to what will be the ultimate status
of the persons in the islands of the sea
whom we. in the discharge OF our re-
sponsibilities," growing out of the war
with Spain, have taken, or may take.
under the protecting wing of the Ameri-
can eagle. BY many anneXationists it is
held that it does not follow that these
persons shall be allowed to vote. The
anti-anneXationists contend that under
our present form of government, no fer
rit0ry the United States may become
possessed of can be debarred indefinitely
from statehood. If this position is cor
rect, and it is fortified by the opinion
of some of the ablest constitutional law
yers in the country, the contention of
the Imperiaists touching the issue falls
to the ground, unless, indeed, we are
to make radical change in the organic
law of the land. In default of such Il
change our new wards would become
eventually full-fedged voters. That con
dition would follow under the Constitu
ton and the dictum of the Supreme
Court.
Article XIV, section /, of the Consti'
tuition. says that:
''All persons born or naturaliZed in the
United States and subject to the juris
dicton thereof are citizens of the United
States"
Article ", section ?, contains the
following:
.'The citizens of each State shall be
entitled to all the privileges and immu-
mites of citizens in the several States.
And the Supreme Court has closed up
any loophole the annexationists may see
in the words born and naturaliZed," by
declaring that:
Every nation acquiring territory, by
treaty or otherwise, must hold it subJec
TO the Constitution and laws OF 1t
own government, and not according to
those of the government ceding it.
However, not the least interesting fea-
ture of the discussion is found in certain
admissions of both sides. The conten-
ton of the Imperialists is negatively. or
by implication. an argument against the
ACCESSIBILITY of making voters of any
more members of inferior races. Such
deliverances as we give below from our
anti-Imperialistic contemporary, the
New York Evening Post questions di-
rectly the wisdom of so doing. Having
stated the proposition of the Imperial
lists that it does not follow that all per-
sons who have been or may be brought
into the Union by our conquests shall
be allowed 70 vote, the Post makes these
points:
well, why should they not be allowed
TO vote? Is it because they are ignor-
ant? 1ney cannot be more so than the
Southern plantation hands upon whom
we forced the right of suffrage directly
after the civil war;
Note the words 1--WE forced" Can it
be that both Imperiaists and anti-lm-
perialists within the Republican fold are
learning lesson from the conditions in
North Carolina? We hope so. But be
that as it may, the Posts points are
well taken, and are scathing common
tary upon the craftsmanship" that
made the negro a voter and the 'humani-
tarianism" that would present to us
the alternatives Of revolutionizing our
system of government, or putting the
ballot into the hands of millions of semi
savage Mohammedans, Pagan Malays,
and Negritoes.