The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-01-16
TILE NEGRO VOTER IN TIE SOUTH.

We have referred several times Of late
to the election recently held in Louisiana
on the question OF calling a constitutional
convention for the avowed purpose Of dis
franchising the negro, but as the ques-
ton is one OF peculiar interest to the
people Of Virginia, at the risk of being
tedious. we present a somewhat lengthy
review of the situation.
The convention was ordered and at the
same time delegates were elected. 1t Will
consist of lSl delegates, of whom thirty
six were elected by the State at large and
ninety-eight by assembly districts. The
convention will be almost unanimously
Democratic, only one or two parishes
having gone Republican. Most Of the
parishes that were supposed to be Popu-
list strongholds gave light votes and
there will be but few Populist delegates.
The interesting feature of the election
was that while the Popuiists combined
with the negroes against the convention
the white Republicans almost to man
voted with the Democrats in favor of it,
and they are more enthusiastic on the
subject Of DISTINGUISHING the negroes than
are the Democrats. As for the negro, he
took but little interest in the election, and
It is said that only about 10 per cent. of
the negro vote in New Orleans was poll
ed.
The present vote Of Louisiana is: White,
~. 900; negro, 12O. 900. Under the proposed
change It is estimated that 10000 whites
and 10000 negroes will be dlsfranchised,
leaving a white vote of 105, 900 and a negro
vote of 10000. The negroes will be in
minority in all the parishes in the State
except two. and will cut very small
figure in politics. If the plan proposed is
carried out.
At present the suffrage clause OF the
Louisiana constitution provides, it is said,
for the most liberal suffrage in the Union.
There are practically no limitations, and
with view to encouraging immigration
1t was provided that any person who gave
notice OF his intention to become a
naturalized citizen should have the right
TO vote. so that newly arrived immi-
grant can vote in New Orleans five years
before ne has become naturalized.
The New Orleans papers say that under
| the present system elections have been
grossly fraudulent, in some precincts
more ballots having been cast than there
were men. women and children in the
| population. AS is invariably the case
| these frauds which were intended origi-
| nally to operate against negroes. have
since been practiced by Democrats against
| each other and have at last caused a re-
vulsion Of popular sentiment against ballot
| box stuilng. 1t is claimed that there has
been no fraud in New Orleans for the past
three elections, but that this result has
been accomplished only by the action of
voters in turning out at the polls with
shot guns on their shoulders.
This explains the quotation in these
columns the other day from the New Or
leans States that it had been determined
in Louisiana that the ballot box suffer
should go out OF business and that the
only alternative was the shot gun policy
which. II carried TO its logical end would
bring on revolution.
1t has been predicted that with the negro
disfranchised Louisiana will go Republic
can, but this has not deferred Democrats
In the least. They have come to the con-