The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-03-29
@esselwer.
EHE CONVENTION TROUBLE IN
LOUISIANA.

From lac intelligence as to the
louisiana constitutional convention
u1aT in session it is regretful to see
frou3,le brewing. There is much dis
sgxxd in the body. The work IS not
~nezring completion as recently report
I'D, ard there is serious antagonism
Chat threatens to prevent, satisfactory
work Thus far there is a faction that
In Fighting for a continuance of the
rzxze OF the boss. 1t wants to perpetu-
ate present conditions to a consider
ahze extent that the corrupt machine
uza1 continue to work. This is very
unfortunate, and shows a want of
'4sezzse. OF devotion to the state of Louis
Eaua and Of fidelity to good, orderly
government. While one part of the con-
Veaffon is seeking to be so bent as to
Farther the best interests Of the state,
u other part is conspiring to keep in
N vigor Of operation the old corrupt
system. This greatly disturbs the in
Geazsent citizens generally. 1t is no.
eyEsaade that the New CLEANS press is
fxH OF apprehension and warning. They
&fKSCh InaI Inc WOTk OIL Tile CONVENTION
uIu be indorsed, if indorsed at all, but
Eg a small mapority. The vote in the
convention for the suffrage clause will
hardly go through by more than ten
majority, thinks The States. The Pic
zayane is seriously moved, and ominous-
IF Says:
Should the abors of this convention
re made nugatory by the acts Of it's
members, it will nave been done in the
Interest of the maintenance of the cor
EEzsS politics which have 50 long cursed
EG~znisiana, but which it has never
heretofore been possible to throw off,
and NOW that the the opportunity for
relief shall be wasted and rejected, the
people will come to realize that they
Rxe in the grip of politicians that moth
Eng can loosen, I'VE a popular violent
uprising"
That there are serious complications
GH1 variant contending interests is
pain enough. There is a claus to
ksfIzy1E all foreigners to vote who were
H~EaKuralized prior to 1898, without any
test Of property or education. This is
nrgei because in many parishes
where the negroes are very strong
Numerically this foreign vote will he
E2ecesaary to keep Sambo from run
ming :he machine" and controlling re-
suits So i~lliteracy cam only be downed
hT special arrangement. Confederate
soldiers and their sons must vote,
whether illfterate or no, and certain
Rxuperty qualifications are added. SO
ehere are three classes of exemptions
I'm 1890, according to the census,
There were in Louisiana as follows:
White males of voting age, 100, 1874;
cS4ored males of voting age, 1885; il
Alterate white males of voting age, 49,
$751; filiterate colored males of voting
age, 82,487.
IN property owners assessed for $500
and upwards, there were 2S, 15S whites,
Ant 1870 blacks, outside of New Or
leans Including the city, there were
C. I58 white and 4,77O black taxpayers.
The Picayune thus analyses:
From the above it will be seen that,
Eut of 100, 74S white males of voting
aEe. only 35,15S could vote on the prop
erSy qualification, While % 1861 would
S0se their votes on account of illiteracy.
IN The 119, S15 colored males of voting
xsge only 4,770 Gould qualify on the prop
Sfty clause, while S2,4S7 Would be ruled
out on the educational test.
@IA}Iowing one-tenth of the illiterate
whites to vote on the property tax,
Ehefe would nave to be deducted from
vshe 23. Sol illiterates 1896, which would
Ifaye Il ,565 whites who would lose their
votes by reason of illiteracy and of
rTzsst possessing $500 each. BY a like
rxzKe. AT nliterate negroes would be able
10 vote and their number would he de-
%tucted from the 81, 4S1, leaving 50, 0O4
ne@-roes who would not be able to vote
In any account
If q, sos delinQuents should be strick-
en- from the total $50. 7S4 white males of
Writing age, there would be left 109, 1873
white voters; while, by deducting
,Ss,Oo4 rejected negroes from the 119, S15
negroes of voting age, there would be
Left 37.811 negro voters in the state"
This whites in the south 1>Ne ex-
1ended in trying to educate the ne
%roes- $40, OOO, 900. The money to educate
rs rraostly their money. The negroes
have no moral or legal right to demand
That white shall impose
Es-ase negroes who are as free as they
are