Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-02-24
AFTER GOVERNOR RUSSELL
North Carolina Democrats to Deprive Him of
His Office.
The Campaign for Adoption OF Com
stitutionai Amendment Regulating
suNraae-NievSz OF Mr.. simmons.
Special Dispatch to The Evening star.

| SPECIAL ptsnatch to The Evening Star.
I RALEIGH. n. C. February aS.-The
democratic managers. II Is understood have
hit upon a plan to deprive Governor Russell
Of the authority Of his office. without TAX
ing the trouble of trying him for alleged
| violation Of his oath.
prominent member of the legisla-
| ture said he thought il very probable that
resolution to impeach the governor will
soon be introduced into the house.
1T would not he said. "be necessary
for the senate to sit TO hear the case out
now. Should the house pass a resolution to
impeach. thar would suspend the governor
from the exercise Of the functions Of his
office until the Impeachment trial should be
completed. Then, IL the legislature should
+, adjourn and go home To meet a year or
eighteen months hence, the effect would be
to practically remove the governor from
Office for the greater part OF his term chat
remains"
As was foreshad owed in The Star vo;.ld
be the case, a campaign Cor the adoption
Of an amendment TO the safe constitution,
already agreed to by the Legislature xhich
is intended to turn the state over to the
democrats and to Keep it i'm their hands
for all time to come has already been be-
gun 1t will be conducted by Mr. p NJ
simmons. chairman of the democratic state
central committee, who managed the last
campaign. II is. therefore expected that
the coming fight will be conducted or he
same vigorous lines as the one that ended
with the disastrous affair at Wilmington.
The Amend aeut.
Speaking of the proposed amendment.
Mr.. Simmons said: Il regard the amend
ment as admirable in every respect. II
will, in my Judgment. accomplish the pur-
pose which Tho mass of the white people
of the state have in view in asking the leg
islature to submit an amendment to the
constitution to the people.
Il am confident the amendment will he
ratified by a decisive ma iority. Its adop-
ton will secure the permanent ascendancy
in the state of the white people and this
paramount object cannot be accomplished
in any other way
THE democratic party promised the peo-
Pie white supremacy in the late campaign,
and il upon that promise above all
others. that the party won the signal vic
tory of November :, and I am thoroughly
convinced that a failure to keep this prom
Use would be disastrous TO the party. Tn
der the amendment no white man will he
disfranchised, no matter how poor or ig-
norant he may be. and such negroes as are
qualified to exercise the suffrage. who
may hereafter qualify themselves to eXer-
else it, will be permitted TO enjoy II.
THE best interest of the state requires
that this restriction should be imposed
upon this race, whose incompetency for the
suffrage has become a menace to its well
fare. The intelligent public sentiment of
this country viii sustain US in the deter
mination TO permanently eliminate this
mass of ignorance from the privilege OF
suffrage.
No Doubt of ConstitutioRaiity.
81 have no doubt about the constitution
ality OF the measure In a legal sense It
is no discrimination against the ignorant
negro 1t simply recognizes a difference
m hereditary intelligence difference
which is well known by every well-informed
student Of racial qualities and characteris-
tics.
.'rhe adoption of this amendment means
a new epoch in North Carolina progress.
it will inspire confidence both within and
without the state in its future, which moth
ing else can possibly inspire. We nave
reached that point in the history Of our
development state when nothing else
IS necessary to insure the greatness of its
future except the certainty Of wise ami just
internal administration of public affairs.
The people Of North Carolina are 10 be
congratulated upon electing a legislature
such as the present, whose consideration Of
this and other germane public questions
has demonstrated its capacity 10 deal with
great public questions viii. wisdom, con-
serva1ism and signal discretion and patriot
ism. The present Legislature is undouoted-
ly a great and wise deiibs radiye body-the
greatest in my judgment that has been
assembled in this state during the CEN
raaF-