The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1899-09-21
CD Again: I object to this Suffrage

90 Again: object to this Suffrage
because it impo-es a
Property Qualification. know this is
denied by its authors, but their denial
is worth nothing, for the reason that
whoever denies it is either fool or
has never paid poll tax in his life In
face of their denial, l boldly affirm.
that money is Property, and that Tax
es are Money, and therefore. that the
prepay ment of the POll-tax is A PROP
RRTY QUALIFICATION. 1t is not very
large one, it is true, but that 10 its me-
anest feature. 1t 10 SO small in fact, a.
to be directed, mainly, at poor white
men, as we'll as the negroes, the former
of whom it strikes over tue shoulders
of The latter. In my opinion it Is not
only punitive, but in the highest de-
gree Oppressive, that the non-payment
Of any tax, whether great or small,
should work a forfeiture OF all OF
mans political rights, since, in any
case, it may be the misfortune and not
the fault, of the delinquent. This
Amendment however, cOufOunds the
innocent with the guilty, and places
them all in the same category with he
perinrer the incindiary, the murderer,
the ravisher, and wish could add,
but can nOt-the BALLOT BOX SUFFER-.
For cannot think. that Poverty ought
to be treated as the Greatest of Crimes,
even in State 50 Astounding in wealth,
and so overlooking with riches, as
North Carolina is Low, and is likely to
be for some time to come! For il that
is not PLUTOCRACY-O A. VERY SMALL
SCALE, what IS it? Still if the prepay
ment of ALL TAXES had been made the
Property Qualification, and TAX DoDG-
ERs in general, and large tax dodgers
IN CHIEF, had been Included in the
dissb lily along with the Poil-tax de-
linqnents, there would have been some
sense and consistency IN the Amend
ment, since, in that case, the poor
mans tax, like the widows mite, would
have weighed as much when put in
the scale, aud would have WEIGHED
NO MORE WHEN TAKEN OUT OF 1T, thar
he rich mans largess.
From what is said, the intelligent
reader can not misunderstood me as
speaking, in extenuatiOn Of tax -delin-
quency of any kind. Fer tine object, OF
the Poll tax provision Of this Amend
ment, is not to collect that tax, but
just the opposite. Its hidden purpose
is to defeat its collection, by taking
from he State it's power for enforcing
its payment, except rs against ASSESS
ed property. 1t proposes, In effect, a
BARTER OF TAXES FOR VOTES and says
to the poor white mar as well as to the
negro, you shall not have to pay any
poll tax, as long a you will consent
OF to vOts-sO STAY AWAY FROM THE
POLLS, for WE DON'T WANT SUCH Eel.
LOWS AS YOU THERE, any way In this
way, the Democratic party would take
money that ought to 60 into the pub
lie treasury, and use il as A CAMPAIGN
FUND TO KEEP MEN FROM VOTING. Aud
thus, in the form of Political IBdul-
gences, are the rights and responsible
ties of men to be turned into merchan-
disc, than which, nothing more revolt
ing has been seen, since the time when
Religious Indulgences were sold IN
the market place, in manner so open
and scandalOus, rs to summon Mar
tin Luther from the cell Of a MOak and
make him the greatest of Reformers
a. Again: This Suffrage Amend
men is q revival of KNOWN othi ngism "a
North { arOlina, and in its most ma
iIgnant form, since it sacrifices upon
the altar of White S-u-p-r-e-m-a
C y! as many perhaps, as seventy I've
per cent.-not of foreigners arriving
or TO arrive but-Of our foreig n Dor n
fellow-citizens already ng among
Us. 1t is true that there are not very
many Of these, and the more ~ the
pity, since it is by something MORE
THAN COINCIDENCE, that We find
North Carolina in the roll of States
highest IN ILLIrERACY, and lowest in
her PER CAPITA OF WEALTH, and lowest
also In the PERCERT AGE OF HER FOR
kIGN-BORN POPULATION. In 1880, the
nun Der of this victimized class was
only 5,209, but Of these it is safe to say
that seventy five per cent. hold Ger
tificates OF Naturalization, dated since
Jan. 1867. And these, together with
their nasive-born descendants, are
probably not more than 10000 to-day.
But to them all, both sire and son, this
educationa, qualification applies, and
with the more shameful injustice, since
with q large proportion OF them, o1rs
was not their native language. Ii il
therefore pertinent to inquire, What
will the gallant lrishmxn ard the
sturdy GermaD-whO have been always
foremost to lead the foFlorn hope, OF
this Party Of Prescription, that Is now
cy-going to think of this attempt, to
place them and their Children upon An
exact equality with f0ll-blooded Ne
4roes! And what will they say Of the
effort, which these PoLITIcAL Resur-
rectl0nists are making TO exhume from
the grave this corpse OF Know Dothir 2.
lem, which We supposed, that we had
buried forever. rs far back as 1856 I?
They will answer these questions 1t
the ballot-box
(5j, Again: This Suffrage Amend
ment certainly endangers, II il does
not - certainly disfranchise, all iliit-
crate White Voters in North Carolina
amounting to $1,000 or more. for il is
difficult 10 say just bow many of us.
Will be able to pass the Civil Service
Examination Of Democratic Regis
trars, since that will depend yerv
largely upon the politics of the appli.
cant. It 10 true, that Section makes
pretense OF protecting them. But how
will 1t be when that Section shall be
stricken out? Will the remainder Of
the Amsndment be let staudinep Its
authors say it will not, but of ali men
fhey are the last, who should be heard,
or beloved, upon that question. Ny
own opinion IL, that with that Section
eliminated, the remainder Of the
Amendment will stand. And / think
it ought to stand, - . warning ct least.
for whoever, being endangered By IL.
shall walk into euch trap. deserves Co
be caught in it. And it 10 TO be bcped
that 1t Was the illitefate White vogere