The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-03-16
TIIURSDAY. March 16. 1899
LINE UPON LINE, PRECEPT
UPON PRECEPT.'

The Constitutional anne ldment sub
mitted to the people by the General As
sembly will not carry itself.
1t embodies the best plan that could
he devised by the wisdom of the State
to eliminate the mass of ignorant Acylo
voters. and to make permanent the rue
of the State by its intelligence. II made
no new test of intelligence. 1t found
one class of citizens that by long and
wise exercise of the right of suffrage
had shown that it could be safely trust
ed to exercise it without restrictions. 1t
found another class that in the few years
it had enjoyed the franchise --ad used it
for the debasement of the State as we'll
as for their own injury. To thai class
it said: In the future you cannot vote
until you give evidence that you are
qualified to do so intelligently'' This.
in a nutshell is what the amendment
when carried will enforce.
Even before the committee that
drafted the amendment began its work,
the Republican politicians and papers
were full of statements to the effect that
the Democrats were getting ready 10
disfranchise everybody who didn't own
land or hadn't gone to college When
the amendment had gone through the
crucible of Democratic caucus and it
was presented without anything that
squinted at ownership of property the
same politicians declared that it would
''disfranchise everybody who had been
denied the advantages of an education.
When they were detected in that false
would disfranchise all the sons of old
soldiers" When it was seen that it pro-
tected every white man and his children
thirteen years of age, and gave smaller
children seven years TO learn to read
and write. these shifty demagogues cried
out: YES it protects all the white
voters and thirteen year old boys now.
but this is the first step only, and later
it is proposed to confine suffrage to the
rich and learned" When it was shown
that it was from the humble and the
poor that Democracy had drawn most of
its recruits from Jefferson's day to the
present and that Acknowledgement of
them would destroy the party these
same fellows bawled out that the SUI
preme court would annul the exception
clause and thus establish plain educa-
tional qualification whether the Demo-
Gratis wanted it or not When the Demo-
Gratis showed that this was absurd, but
promised that if the courts should do
amendment without delay, the Republic
can politicians, being driven into the last
corner, recalled the advise of Ike Young,
lie like HI and stick to it. and
went forth telling the people what fam
tastic stories they thought would find
a Judgment in their minds. And to-day,
saries of negro rule and trust domination
with their allies are going up and down
the State sowing tares. Unless the good
men SOW good scotland do so quickly,
actively and persistently-they may find
when the harvest comes that the tares
have grown luxuriantly. and that they
cannot be removed without destroying
the wheat.
The duty of the Democrats is plain.
They must SOW good seed before the
tares are permitted to get They
ought now TO be making a campaign of
education. showing the voters exactly
what the adoption Of the amendment
means, and how its adoption is essential
to permanent white supremacy in the
State. We fear that unless the voters
get clear understanding of the amend
ment some of them will be deceived by
the plausible falsehoods which will be
spread broadcast over the State, for let
no one be lulled into sense Of security
by the present seeming inactivity of the
Republicans. 1t is all on the surface.
Pritchards letter is being distributed.
The national Republican party knows
that the adoption of the amendment
means that North Carolina is lost to
them forever. They have money to
burn, and will spend as much to beat the
Constitutional amendment as Pritchard