The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-03-18
DIsFRANCHIsING IN LOUISIANA.

The Louisiana state convention to make
changes IN the constitution has been in
session for some time now. There are
signs that the work lone will be very
radical and imperfect, because unfair and
affective. Il was understood that the
chief business was TO give the whites
control OF the state and to a great ex-
tent d~isfranchise the negroes. The fair
minded peop.e outside VINO favored white
supremacy and an educational test for
electors. insisted upon a just and equal
application Of the law. applying TO the
test Of all sorts. conditions and races
allke There must be something wrong
or unjust in what is doing as there is
white democratic opposition, more or
less. being already expressed. The New
Orleans TiC7as-Democ-at reports mass
meetings held in opposition. In one
meeting il not only condemned THE ex-
traordinary fifth section. which creates
the privileged dago' voters. and gives
persons born abroad privileges denied ma
tives of louisiana" 10 further quote the,
New Orleans paper. but ii held up TO
the ridicule and scorn of the state the
discreditable squaw and appoo voters.
III ma tOlilllIlAACc "OA4l
borrow from the 'Cherokees."
As We understand it. no suffrage bill!
has been as yet adopted. but one has
been agreed upon. II is understood that
the plan is to have an educational and a
property qualification. One statement
We have seen makes the plan unequal
and unjust, while another statement is
that the scheme is fair and no discrimi-
III
Messenger will be glad to see on educa-
tional test adopted TO apply equally to
all races. No man should vote after
proper opportunity given him who can
not read and has not paid his poll tax.
Men who have been voting and have
passed a certain age to be determined
should not be debarred, but all under a
certain age Should have the educational
test. All new voters should share alike
and be disqualified without the reading
clause and the poll tax precept.
The New York Tribune, extreme, evil
IDENTIFY dislikes the idea of shutting out
any part of the negro vote by an edu-
cational test. 1t would like to see,
doubtless, the negroes governing the
south. provided the north could escape
llle lIlllICllOu anu liz TepuDllcdHS cOUlu
elect presidents, ETC., with the aid Of the
negroes. Disfranchise the isegroes and
whites on the same basis or test. But
give the negroes al equal showing as to
public schools. 1t IS concluded, and it
is probably true, that in Louisiana the
negroes have been deprived of a fair
deal in common school advantages, not
having more than a third or half of the
moneys voted according to numbers. The
Tribune gives this:
The plan recommended by the COM
mittee gives the suffrage to four classes
Of people: To those who can read and
write, as shown in a written application
for registration; to property holders pay
ing taxes on $500 of property; to the sons
of freeholders; to all persons who were
voters on January l, 1898. On the sur
face these provisions would seem highly
unfair to the negro, but ii is explained
that the second and third specifications
are really intended to meet the condi-
tons of the Acadian people in southwest
ern Louisiana, and not to discriminate
against the blacks"
If the figures published are correct as
to educational facilities all along, then
the discrimination against negro educa-
ton in Louisiana has been most marked,
and they have not had anything like the
opportunities offered to the whites. This
ought not to continue.