The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-02-05
THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMEND
MENT-DIFFERENCES OF
OPINION.

The Democratic caucus is giving the
careful consideration to the Constitution
al amendment which its transcending
Importance demands. From the first
every step has been taken with full
realization of the necessity of wise &C
ton. Three weeks ago there was some
sentiment against submitting any Con
stitutional amendment, and relying upo
an election law to secure White Su
premacy The discussions in the caucus
have resulted in uniting the party in
favor Of the only safe and wise metho
of eliminating the ignorant negro vote
to-wit: by a Constitutional amendment.
That was the first essential thing to be
done, and unity upon that point has
made the way easier for an agreement
upon the precise amendment to lie sub
mitted. Naturally there has been diff
ference Of opinion and out of this differ
ence will be evolved an amendment tina
will be ratified by a majority of fifty
thousand when the people have an oppor
There is perfect agreement as to every
section in the amendment printed in last
Sundays News and Observer except see
tons 4 and J. Section five in the bill
presented by the committee reads as fol-
lows:
Section ). No male person who was
on January /, 1861, or at any time prior
thereto. entitled to vote under the laws
OF any State in the United State
wherein he then resided; and no son or
grandson of any such person NOT less
than 81 years old at the date of the
adoption of this amendment Of the Con
stitution shall be denied the right to
register and vote at any election in
this State by reason of the educational
qualification prescribed in this article.
provided he shall have registered prior
to December /, 1902. in accordance
with the terms of this article, and no
person shall be allowed to register I'M
dsr this section after that date"
Senator Justice, at the Friday night
tute for the above section:
section ). No male person who was,
on January list, 1867 or at any time
prior thereto. entitled to vote under the
laws of any State in the United States
wherein be then resided and no lineal
descendent of any such person shall be
denied the right to register and vote at
any election in this State by reason OF
his failure to possess the educational
qualification presented in section four of
this article.
1t win be seen that the committee re-
quired time to be fixed when sons and
grandsons could register and take al
vantage of the grandfather clause.
The committee advocated having a fixed
time when the registration should close
they favor extending the time to 1909
and some of them contended that this
was necessary to be certain that the
amendment would come within the pro-
visions of the Constitution. Senator
Justices amendment is directed at hay-
ing no limit, making sons and grandsons
perpetually eligible He insists that this
would not affect the constitutionality of
the provision His objection to the ORR
ginal section is that it would require
young white boys to learn to read and
write before they could vote, and that
this would be an Objectionable feature
Of an otherwise perfect amendment.
A prominent Western member, who
does mot object to section ), though he
would favor having the time Of registra
ton extended from 1902 to 1908, de-
sires to change section four so it will
read as follows:
Section f. ANY person presenting
himself fort registration or voting shall
be able to read any section of the Con-
stitution of This State, or he shall be
able to understand the same when read
to him, or give a reasonable interpreta
ton thereof; shall have paid by the
first of February the poll tax for the
previous year, as prescribed by law, and
shall exhibit the receipt therefor. Poll
taxes shall be d lien only on assessed
property, and no, process shall issue
enforce the collection of the same except
against assessed property"
He argues that this would make it
certain beyond peradyenture that no
white man now de age, or any white
youth coming of dge, could be disfran-
chised, being protected by both the 'un
derstanding" and the grandfather"
clause.
The ablest members are considering
these few differences in the spirit of pa
triots. and there is not room to doubt that
they will pass the bill in its present
shape with some such changes as will
not affect its constitutionality or work
the Acknowledgement Of any white
voters.