Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-09-30
MOAN IrnmedIateIy after DE election last

! began Immediately after the election last
DR. Cyrus Thompson, the chairman
| of the Populist State Committee, then
| declared that the white people 9i So ~, ~
| Carolina would be disappointed II me
| Democrats failed TO limit the negro vote.
! pemocratic-State-Ch Chairman '5iniii ~
| said recently: "rhere VIII be hsh'
against the suffrage amendIn.nt f MI oD q
! feet and effect Of which are 10 eillnlhale
between 1890 and 5000 ignorant ana n
| competent negro voters. but tneIe u
no doubt about its ratification
1.-THE elimination OF this utterly lIIe.
sponslble and incompetent negro vote
has become n necessity In the interest
of race harmony and social ordeE, -
well as In the material progress anu
prosperity OF the state Ill.,.
speaking for the white si Repu''NSS North
Carolina. Rovenue-Collector Carl Dun
can. the real Republican power III ne
eastern part Of the State, ana the n.y.
valued assistant OF Seha haa T., North
the supreme Rcpubiican hedu IL
"The white Republicans in the Eastern
counties will solidly oppose the ..,,, ii tdr-
chlse amendment. Our party VIII d9f-
mally, In convention condemn It.
Democrats are much divided.
"The common people Of that party Dc
lieve the amendment is strike az thenh
as well as the negro, because Iney
=
passes upon the amendment, VIII hhoch
out the grandfather clause. This clause
is known as the nth, and gives any HIai
right to vote whose father or grah9-
father could vote prior TO January y
1861" ...
There are many indications, however,
that the Republicans cannot noiu ~, ~
their leaders in line in opposltlon 70 tl.e
amendment. X-COngressman IhohaS
Settle Is out in bold terms IN faNOr OF
the Amendment, and so are ex-AdJutahs-
General Andrew ID. COwles, Thomas M'
Argo. Judge Starbuck. and others
Governor Russell says he feels sure the
amendment cannot be defeated. Repun-
observation-disclosures Hatton mas sara
that the party proposed 10 make IL =
test Of party fealty, but senator IIllcLi.
ard saws this is impracucaDle. mus 10
appears that party lines VIII not holu
upon the question of adopting the
amendment.
j. c. l.. Harris, for many years secre-
tary Of the Republican state COMMITTEE,
and one Of Governor RusselPs closest
81 EXPECT the amendment to be rati-
fed by a large majority. 1t becomes e.
fective. l believe. in 1902. Inc Repubn-
cans will hardly be able 70 DO anything
that wear. or even In 1904, perhaps, nut
i'm 1896 j would not be al ali surprised
If our party won, because the Wmto
vote with the negro practically eIiihi-
mated. will divide There are thousands
Of Democrats who are In that party not
because Of dislike Of Republican princi-
pies. hut because of the negro Repuoli-
can vote ] will say 20 you, frankly,
that if we had won last year We would
have been forced to enact laws 10 PEE
vent the negroes taking control OF coun-
ty and town governments; In other WORDS
we would have had, in self-defence, TO
relegate the negroes 10 the rear
The Republican effort will be confined,
II is said, TO the rural voters, and these
win be assured that the supreme CCui
viii decide the fifth clause invalid. and
that this will make the amendment ap-
ply to whites and blacks alike ana DIS
franchise unoducated voters. The Demo-
Gratis say that if the courts ever pass
upon the law they must do SO in its
entirety: and If one clause is declared
invalid. all the others will be also in
Nalid.