The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1899-11-23
4 SUBSTITUTE FOR THE
PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL AMEND
nENT.

PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL AMEND
MENT.
How to Remove tho Race Issue From
Politics and Defe.t the "Mobocrats"
aud "B.'lo, Box >tufFers."
e litor CAUCASIAN
have read with sustained inter-
est the discussion with respect to the
proposed amendment, and with your
permission I will present my views
on the subjec. l shall offer for the
earnest consideration Of your read
ers an outline of substitute for the
ame ndment which I think the Popu
list party should adopt and submit
to the voters of the State. In my
Judgment it would be exceedingly
uuw,se to fight the proposed amend
ment bluntly, without Offering
"something better;" and, In thus con
nection am forc,bly reminded of an
msx,m: "never fnd fault without
showing why and indicating a better
way" therefore, let the Populist par
y indicate q "better way" to meet
the situation that confronts US.
No one who has read the Demo
era ic papers can fail to see that it
9 the ardent desire of the machine
to have a lepet-,"n next year of the
campaign Of 1898; for they really
that if they are +. reed to discuss re-
form issues defe At will certaibly over
take them in spite of their hell-in
spired election Jaw which was enact
ID for the purpose of robbing men of
their votes.
The Populist party was organic d
TO correct and reform abuses of gov
ernm. Mt. 1t launched the para
mount issues ON which the natiob al
campaign was waged in 1896, and
in this State it drew thousands of
voters to its ranks because of its ad
vocacy of reform in the methods of
government. These great issues have
not been settled yet in this State. for
corporate power was never before so
firmly enthroned md entrenched in
North Carolina. 1t is the mission of
the Populist party to bring about q
better state CT affairs here in order
that the poorer classes may be light
~ burdened, but 50 long as false is
sues are raised the political atmos-
phere will be cleuded and the rule Of
the corporations will be unmolested.
The Populist party desires to force
discussion, console ration and action
with respect to the reforms thatsar-
80 sadly needed here. but this canno,
be- done unless We offer some meth
ID of eliminating the race question
from political discussions.
When this is done the monopolis'
and tool of corporate power will b.
like o bella, with his occupation
gone. IL the eastern section of thu
State the Democrats became frantic
over the cray of "negro nomination.
in the last campaign, and yet dare
say they voted and bought more ne
gro voters than ever before notwith
standing the fact that they were
fighting the negro politically.
This is q political demonstration
Of the fact that no reform can be
brought about so long as the negr.
issue can be raised, for when rae.
pre- JUDGE is xcited all other issues
are obscur. d. Let us remove tina
false issue forever from the arena of
political debate.
The proposed amendment does mo-
eliminate the negro from politics, be-
rause the insolent town negro, who
has smattering Of education will
continue to vote. This class of ne
groes Is the very worst element in
politics in the State, but the faithful
Id ex-slave will be deprived of his
right to vote.
nave learned from good authori-
y that when sections 4 and 5 we're
ut der consideration in the Demo.
cra,ic caucus an effort was made t.
embody them into one section, but
suppose 1t was the coercive, tull
doeing aud brow-beating methods o.
he ma"hiae that finally won out,
and TWO seoarate and distinct Sec
rior 8 we're made.
what was the purpose in having
two sections when ONE would have
{, some extent less q. the danger If
frauchisinR any WHITE man in he
event that the courts snouli declar.
hs "grandfather clause" unconstit =
tlonaif They we're undoub.edI ~
prompted by some secret and SIMS
Ter motive. Their papers have been
urged and qnested to give the rea.
son for TWO sections, but not . pa
per has ffered an exclamation.
They know that they cannot sue
cessfully defend their action in not
coupling the two sectlops together,
hen ce their profound silence.
II they had been honest in their
desire and purpose to eliminate tn
oeRro question from political discus
sion they would have formu ated
heir amendment differently
The D. mocrats have no issue in
North Carolina save ''nieger, and
it he is removed from the discussion
it will sound the death knell Of the
present machine" Then it seems
~ me that it 10 tbs very acme Of Do
llticsl wisdom to pursue . course
that will forever settle such an Is
sue, and thereby defeat and destroy
the present Democratic orgauiss-
ZION which obtained control through
murder, lawleseneas, soeruption end