The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1899-10-26
NOT An ANTi-NE6RO LAW.

The Psrpose Of the Trainers Of the Con-
stitutfonaI Amendment to Dtsfs anch ise
all Hitter ate Whites A. Well as Biseks.
A sheville Gazette
On another page of the Ga zette to
day appears an article from the Raj
eigh POpulist newspaper, the .'Cau
casian," which refers to feature of
the caucus action on the Sim mons
amendment in the leg
stature, which has been alluded to
N the Gazette on several occasions.
The caucuses at which the amend
ment was considered previous to the
legislature acting upon the measure
were held behind closed doors. They
were not confined, however, to tn.
Democratic members of the legisla-
ture, but Chairman Simmons, and w
believe some other leading lights in
the last campaign, we're admitted to
The councils. No move was made
except with Mr.. Simmons approval
and endorsement. The amendment
like the election law, we believe We
are right IN saying, was considered
in those caucuses aIme st solely as a
political party, campaign measure.
The interests of the men see king po-
litical advantage, those in fact who
were availing themselves of the pow
or gained by their having secured
,ntroI of the legislature, to estab
fish q political machine that should
be permanent, beyond assault from
cubllc sentiment IN the State, were
alone considered. We have said be.
tore, and we repeat it now, the poll.
| icians who concocted the amend
ment disfranchislng device cared NJ
more for the white illiterate voter:
than they did for the negroes, anl
| the fifth section of the proposed Law
vas inserted as a CAMPAIGN DE
| COY. There was no serious regar(
given to the question of its constitu
tionality, but there was an utter rec
klessness as to it's fate should tn
amendment become law. We be
lieve it was m ade SEPARATE sec
ton of the proposed sme ndment TO
the sole reason that when the court
reviewed the law and observed tn
uncons,itutionality Of this feature O
it, the courts would not need to de
stroy the whole suffrage amendmen
in order to strike out this unconsti
tutional part. The ifth section
standing alone by itself, could b
eliminated and there would remain
complete law imposing an education
al qualification on ALL voters. whit
as Well as black. In every politlcs
caucus, and every legislative body
few men are leaders, whose infuenc
dominates the others. The constitr
tional amendment and the electio
law were the inspiration Of Mr.. Sin
mons and the men who are workln
with rim to establish an invinclbl
political machine in this State.
is not an anti-negro law, except fo
campaign purposes. During the las
campaign, in order TO secure tn
votes of "poor and ignorant" blac
voters and white voters, they pledge
themselves in printed circulars tbs
they scattered broadcast to protet
the rights of this class of citizens ,
unrestricted suffrage. We call a
tention to their constitutional amen
ment and election law as an evidenc
how well they kept this pledge as
measure whereby TO guage the claim
they are now making that the suf
rage amendment has any power, G
iany intention, to protect ''poor an
Ignorant" white men. Inc pledg
worked we'll, as the returns from n.
gro precincts and counties with
large iiliterate white vote prove,
But the promise that gained this vot
tor che Democratic ticket was bro
ken, openly and brazenly, and it
expressing truth mildly to say ths
campaign promises from the Sin
mons headquarters will not be r.
ceived with the same faith next Yea
that they were last fall. The belle
is gaining ground that tie "gran
father clause was put up to surviv
the campaign and then to be knocl
ed down. But whatever the inter
ton, if the amendment be passe
this will be the result.