The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-09-19
THR PROPOSED CONSTITUTION
AL AMENDMENT.

Since the ColumnsO Of The Progressive
Farmer are open to q discussion Of the
proposed Constitutional amendment,
/ would be glad to see it's advocates
set forth it's merits if it has any. /
have been reading the pros and cons on
the QUESTION and as yet I must say that
have failed to get much light on the
measure, especially from the articles
of these who advocate the measure.
One Of their claims is that it will
permanently establish white su-
premRcy.
Another says that it will be an incen
tive to education; that il will act as a
stimuIant towards educating thenegro.
A third says that it will forever do
away with the negro-lsmity bowling
during future campaigns.
And a fourth says that he will vote
for it because Mr.. So and so or Senator
So and 90 favors it.
Now / will say to the first that there
is no man in North Carolina that ad-
vocates white supremacy more than l
do, and no man will do more to main
tain the same than I will; and yet I
fail to see wherein the proposed amend
ment, if ratified, will establish white
supremacy any more thoroughly than
it is already. White supremacy has
been established from time immemo
rial, and the very idea that the Anglo
Saxon race is on the verge of losing its
supremacy on account OF allowing the
negro his franchise is absolutely ab
surd.
And to those that say that it will be
an incentive to stimulate the negro to
get an education, I will ask what nation
has made progress in the way of
education in the past thirty years than
the negro, considering the disadvan,
tsges that they have been lRboring I'm
der7
No, it is not a stimulant that the
negro needs, but it is the means to OBJ
tain q proper educ alton. They are
already stimulated beyond their means.
And furthermore, Mr.. J. W. Las.
sitter, in The Progressive Farmer Of
Suly All, in the CLARK. KIgo contro
versy, says that if the PROPOSED amend.
ment is ratified by the people that D.
Kilgo and a few thousand of his friends
will see that pauper education by taxa
ton will cease.
Behold the cloven foot exposed 1!
Now if Mr.. Lassiter's idea is carried
out in regard to pauper education by
taxation, what is to become of our
public educational institutions tha5 are
largely kept up by taxation2
And now to all those that expect to
vote for the proposed amendment, let
mt say, look well before you Iesp, lest
you help to establish ~oligarchy, for 1
verify believe if the proposed amend
ment ia ratified that government rule
by the people is at an end, and rule by
the Shylocks and vampires the pro-
meters of the trusts snd combines will
be established.
To those who think to disfrauchise
the negro will do away with the negro
lamity howl, l will say that you are
simply mistaken.
Those that howled negro, did 80 be-
cause he could not meet his opponents
argument. And when he can no longer
howl negro he will howl pole,ca
And to those who say they will voc
for it because Mr.. SO and so or Senator
So and so favors it, I will say let US
have convictions of our own and the
manhood to advocate and vote accord
ing to u convictions.
AS to Mr.. Winston, the man that
only a few years ago thought that it
would be a great honor for him to ride
the district with the negro ex Con-
gresham White, 1 must say that he il
indeed in a pickle. In an article in the
North Carolinian he says that the
ignorant white man is a more compe-
tent voter than the educated negro,
consequently the educational qualiR-
cation in the proposed amendment will
have to be stricken out in order to
carry out Mr.. Winston's idea.
/ believe that the proposed Constitu
tionel amendment is a que lion of vital
Importance to the people Of North
Carolina, and I hope they will give the
measure deliberate consideration be
fore they cast their ballots.
FL. M. FiLLYAw.
Cumberland Co., N. O.