The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-12-22
Restriction of Suffrage.

sentative men of the several States as to
their practical operations and constitu-
tionality. / have already given a very
clear-cut interview with Senator Nc
Iaurin as to the South Carolina law
under which the bitter antagonisms OF
the white factions have softened and
almost passed out of existence. "Wisdom
is justified of her children" South
Cardinals experience has proved the
wisdom of its constitution for that State.
Mississippi was the first Southern
State to restrict suffrage by constitu-
tional enactment. | have talked this
week with Senator Money, Representa-
tive Catchings, and Representative Pat
rick Henry a great name worthily worn
, by the Mississippi Congressman about
the results that have followed its adop-
ton. | may sum them up In these three
things:
l. The Republican party has disap-
peared in the State there being
only enough left to squabble over the
Federal offices.
2. The negroes take no interest in poll
tics, but devote their attention to indus
trial pursuits, education, and their
church work.
g. Mississippi enjoys peace and clean
government.
All these three distinguished Mississip-
plans says that the requirement that all
taxes shall have been paid for the pre-
ceding two years is much more effective
in reducing the negro vote than all other
provisions combined. He must pay his
taxes before the campaign wakes warm.
and he must pay for, the preceding two
years. This makes its difficult to as
sess the candidates for poll tax. There
is Il provision also that no legal proceed
ings can be employed to compel the
payment of the poll tax. Therefore the
negro argues this way: IF | pay my
poll tax and vote, it will do no good, be-
cause the white party will rule any
how. r~believe / will save my money
and not vote where it will accomplish
nothing" And he buys some shoes for
the pickaninies instead of paying for the
privilege of voting.
In Mississippi, all nominations, for
State offices. Congress. legislative and
county offices are made by a primary,
which is regulated by law. While there
were one or two with whom / talked
who did not think the primary essential.
and one Congressman who thought it
ought to be left to party control, the
opinion of most of the representative
men from the Southern States was that
a legal primary was an almost essential
accompaniment of constitutional cllmiEa-
ton of the negro vote When the negro
vote is eliminated, a nomination by the
party of the white men is equivalent to
an election. Therefore in order to keep
the white men united. it is essential
that the primaries shall be surrounded
by every possible safeguard. In Mississ-
ippi, the same men who hold the cleo
ton hold the primary elections. They
are sworn officers and any illegal voting
or counting is punished. Conventions,
which in all parties are easier to con-
troll by machine men, are not known ex
cept to ratify the DEGREES Of the prima-
ries. Every white man in the State
knows that he has as much voice in
nominating candidates as any other
man. That makes a feeling of equality.
The elections are protected from unfair
ness by sworn officers of the law,
backed by healthy public sentiment,
and the will Of the people finds easy ex-
preston. As a result. when the candi-
date is nominated by primary the re-
suit is accepted in good faith. Indeed,
il a man kicks, he has his pains for his
trouble. The negro, being eliminated.
cannot be appealed to by the defeated
candidates: and the elections being man
ifestly fair and legally declared, the
white men will not listen to bolt Of
Independent running Without the legal
primary, however, the fear was express
ed by several that the divisions among
white men might result in bringing about
Il return to the deplorable conditions
when one faction of white men call
upon the negroes to help defeat another
faction.
The Mississippi Constitution, said
Representative Catchings, 'embodies
exactly what the conditions in North
Carolina demand. 1t has been affirmed
by the Supreme Court Of the United
States. 1t has been tried something like
ten years 1t is no experiment IL
works we'll The more you study it, the
better you will like it," That was the
opinion of Senator Money. Representa-
tive Patrick Henry and all other Miss
issippians.
! confess that the Louisiana conStltu-
ton seems to me tor come nearer what
will suit North Carolina than either
Missssippi's or South Cardinals. Sen
ator Gallery does not think it constitu-
tional but he thinks the same thing
about the Mississippi and South Caro-
lima constitution, if / understood him
correctly. He is n NAM of real ability
and is a man of convictions, but he is
not in harmony with his party, having
supported Palmer and Buckner. That
may color his opinions, but | do not
think so. While not believing in the
constitutionality of the grandfather"
provision, Senator Caffery believes
strongly in combining suffrage to intelli-
gence, and eliminating ignorance from
control in government.
''One big mistake we made i'll Louis
iana," he said, was in not regulating
party nominations in legal primaries.
Experience has shown that upon occasion
white men have swindled white men in
primaries as well as in elections. Regu-
late the primaries by law. That is the
fountain head. Unless it is kept pure,
40 ,,.a4top no olCn ic 1onn tho 1yatapS