The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-08-24

CompplS me no say Undi lHeS nav nv
such fear The amendment expressly
provides that every man who could vote
in 1867 and the descendants of those
who could vote in 1861 can forever
vote in North Carolina, whether they
can read and write or no. This provls-
ion protects every white man and every
white boy over Is years of age except
perhaps a few foreigners. Children now
under 13 years Of age will, in order to
vote when they become q, have to learn
TO read and write.
EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES PRO
VIDED.
To meet this emergency the Demo
cratic Legislature increased the school
fund 100000 this year. 1t will con
tinue to increase this fund until 1905
we shall be almost ii not quite free from
illiteracy among the young Mt least so
far as the whites are concerned. The
Democratic party through its amend
ment gives to every white man and boy
over Is years of age the absolute and
unauestioned right TO vote in considera-
ton of the inadequate facilities which We
have heretofore had for education, and
it says to every child under IL I'VE
undertake to provide you with full OPP
Lortunity TO learn to read and write and
in addition TO this free gift from the
State we offer as prize for learning
to read and write participation in the
government of the State" Can any man
doubt the splendid results of this pro-
vision? Each party will vie with the
other in providing for pubic schools-all
other expenses of the government will
owl a q
will be held down to the most economi-
cal basis in order to save money with
which to educate the children of the
State This political virtue will be-
come likewise private virtue and citi-
zens everywhere in the borders of the
State will begin to cut off useless and
injurious expenses in order that their
children may become yeritable kings
and rule the State.
WHEN DEMAGOGY WILL FAIL.
Economy, self-sacriiice, the seeking
to work out through our children
greater and better things than we have
been able to do will be some of the
fine results which will come to us from
this provision. Against these things
that awful den1agogy which seeks to per-
petuate illiteracy in the State will beat
i'll vain. | have known few men,
whether they could read and write or
not, who We're willing for their children
to grow up in ignorance. | have never
known one mother who did not earnest
~ desire for her offspring something
better than she had. The teachers OF
the State will surely be with us on this
questionable mothers and churches are
with us. Who can prevail against us?
But say the Republican LEADERS,: 1--WE
are afraid the descendant clause uncon-
stitutional, and the other clause consti-
tutional, and will thereby bring upon the
State white men as well as negroes-a
suffrage qualified by the requirement
to read and write.
OF WHAT COURT ARE THEY
~ AFRAID?
lit is pertinent to ask Of what Su-
preme Court are these leaders afraid?
Surely not the North Carolina Supreme
Court, majority Of whom are Repub-
licans. Certainly Senator Pritchard and
Governor Russell and the other Re
publican leaders in the State who are
SO afraid that some white men who
habitualy vote against them may be
DISTINGUISHED, do not expect a Republi-
do what these leaders are SO anxious
shall not be done And unless the court
is anxious to do so how will they be conn
PEELED SO to decide when almost every
constitutional lawyer iii the State wor-
thy of the name, who has investigated
the question, believes the amendment
constitutional? Then it must be the
Supreme Court of the United States
-. -
But that, too, is Republican and equally
anxious not to disfranchise anybody I'M
less compelled to. Three Southern
States have adopted constitutional
amendments looking to the settlement
of the negro question The Supreme
Court of the United States have been
appealed to in vain from South Carolina
and Mississippi to save the negro from
exclusion from the ballot box.
THE CONSTITUTION STANDS.
These constitutions stand and the
negro does not vote and the whites do
vote. Where is the Supreme Court of
the United States and what is it about :?
The Republicans in Louisiana had fears
Identical with those of Senator Pritch-
ard and Governor Russell But the
The truth is that the negro has proved
such a failure as a voter that a great
change Of opinion has come about in
the United States and that change has
been so marked and strong that even
the courts have been affected by it. The
whole country at last realizes that the
destiny of this government, State and ma
tional, is to be wrought out by the white
mau--it is his burden-the negro himself
is a parta very large part of that bur-
den.
CONGRESS TOOK THE INIATIVE.
Congress first took the matter in hand
and solved the problem in the District
Of Columbia, by DISTINGUISHING every
citizen, white and black. South Caro-
lima. Mississippi, louisiana, North Caro-
lima have all in turn taken up the ques-
ton Congress has come back to it in
dealing with Hawaii and eliminates the
negro without the slightest hesitation
and without exciting on the part Of Sem
ator Pritchard any fear of the wreck
of matter and the crush Of worlds In
Cuba, Porto Rico and the Philippines
49, ,.n.nn. not nrIty dana ,,nf ,,a+a l,,t -.