The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-08
oo1oR LINE POLITICS.
The Storm Centre of Agitation Has Movsd
Northwsrd from the Gulf.


WASHINGTON. Sept by the Federal census
OF 1890. there were then 1.T0o,oOo eolorea men
In the United States Of voting age. and In the
Presidential election OF 1895 n majority OF
them were allowed by law to exercise the priv
ileRe of franchise. Two States only at that
time Mississippi. in January. 1891. and south
Carolina. In December. 1So5-had ADOPTED
con silt utional amendments practicahy re-
stricting the suffrage to white voters. sihee
then Louisiana has amended it's Constitution
to the same effect. and up to Few
months ago II seemed probable that
Alabama. In which constitutional Convention
had been called. would do likewise. thereby
extending to the three Gulf States In which the
colored population 10 largest tho same method
Of suspe NJ ding the provisions OF the fourteenth
Amendment to the Federal Constitution. The
plan proposed for Alabama. however. was
halted, and now agitation for restriction OF
voting has been turned from the Gulf States TO
those of the Middle Atlantic. and In TWO OF
them, North Carolina and Virginia. the op-
ponents Of negro suffrage are active. with
every present prospect that before long Mary
land, and possibly West Virginia. will be In
cudsd In the controversy.
In North Carolina. In which there are 1o0.-
600 colored voters and 200. 600 white voters.
the fight for negro Acknowledgement turns on
stitution adopted By the last Legislature and
intended to eliminate from politics henceforth
all oelored voters OF the Tar Heel State. This
proposed amendment 10 to be submitted to the
voters at the election Of August. 1900. three
month In advance OF the Presidential election.
The salient features OF the measure are con-
tanned in tho fourth and NTH sections. which
provide that every person presenting
himself for registration shall be able
to read and write any section OF the
Constitution in tho English language. and
that no male person who was. on Jan. 1. 1857.
or at any time prior thereto. entitled to vote
under the laws OF any State in the United
States wherein he then resided. and no hneal
descendant OF any such person. shall be denied
tho right to register and vote at any election In
this State by reason Of his failure to pesssss
the educational qualifications prescribed In
Section 4 OF this article. provided he shall have
registered In accordance with tho forms OF this
section prior to Dec. I. 1905 The General
Assembly shall provide for permanent record
Of all persons who registered before this ssc-
ton on or before Nov. 1. 1908. and all such
persons shall DO entitled to register and vote
at all elections by the people In this STATE"
All the indications point to the adoption Of
the amendment by q sweeping majority. It
will receive the united support Of tho Demo-
Gratis and great part OF the Populisy vote. II
10 noticeable. too. that some white Re-
publicans favor the amendment. on the ground
that 1t will relieve them OF the stigma to Q
Southern State Of the alliance Of eolored voters
and make their party slse Q white mans
party" henseforth.
Neither does the opposition to the constitu-
tional am endmsnt include all the eolored voters
OF the State. Some favor It; alargsr number
are entirely Indifferent. while those who are
OnnORad IN the nd apk af
without the strength which goes with intelli-
gsnce. social position. Money and political
hstutoness.
In Virginia there 10 a similar agitation for q
change In the existing voting aaws. not. how
ever. in the form OF q proposed amendment to
the Constitution. but by summary act Of the
next Richmond Legislature. The proportion
Of colored- voters In Virginia is somewhat
larger than It 10 in North Carolina. but the
strength OF the Republican party In Virginia is
distributed throughout tho whole State and
the party contains many men Of business and
social influence. more particularly In the cities
Of Richmond. Norfolk. LynshburG and Newport
News. Profession sentiment 10 much stronger
in Virginia than 1t 10 In North Oarolina.
and the white Republicans OF Virginia. . State
additionally close in National contests, and a
State. too. in which Populists are few. are not
likely to accept with eQuanimity q measure
which will be certain to reduce their influence
and make Virginia for many years to come a
soldiy Democratic State. Nevertheless. tho
agitation for white suffrage. sovereignty and
supremacy is going on actively in Virginia.
and the State Legislature to be chosen in No
vembsr will be overwhelmingly Democratic.
In Maryland. whore the number OF colorsd
voters is much less than in either OF the other
two States named. or only about one-flfth OF
the total electorate. the demand for negro
Acknowledgement 10 Just beginning. IL has
been Increased considerably by the proceed
inGs at some Of the recent primaries for the
election Of delegates to the Bait imore State
Convention. In the town OF Rock vile. near
here. after the primaries closed. there was q
collision between the white and the colored
Republicans at the fair grounds at which. In
the quaint record OF the affair. It was re-
ported that ''one OF the white Republicans
escaped with one Of his ears considerably
lacerated" A contributing cause to the defeat
for reelection OF Mayor Master In Baltimore
was the hostility OF white Rspu blicans to tho
appointment. under his administration. Of
negro policemen In that city and the resent
Inent OF the colored voters OF Baltim ore against
what they considered the unfair discrlm-
ination Of their own party associates
against colored men In political appoint
ments. At the recent meeting OF the
State Editors Association OF Maryland a
declaration was adopted setting forth that 4" no
party is ft to rule this State: whose freedom
10 cogged with an ignorant non tax paying
element. constituting 80 per cent. OF its
vote In some counties. and comprising so per
cent. OF the whole In the State" The Demo
cratic Convention which nominated John Tai
bot Smith for Governor came out strongly
against the election or appointment Of colored
mon to Office. and the Democratic managers
expect to mako this issue one OF tho strong
points in their state cam paign.