The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1899-07-27
The CONSTITUTIONAL Amend
ment-What il ia What
it is Not.

! negotiate IOr itSell iiAu - u"e
gent" Every voter ought certainly
to see with his own eyes, If he can
read. lust what the constitutional
amendment is, and if he cannot read
Lot some trusted friend read it for
him. This lis important because the
enemies of good government are tell
inc falsehoods daily about the amend
ment. They claim:
| That it DISTINGUISHES white voters.
That illiterate white men cannot vote
after 1908.
That it requires everybody to pay
poll tax regardless of age or condi-
ton.
| That where 4 man has moved from
one county or State to another he
would be obliged to bring witnesses
to prove that he or his ancestor was
voter prior to 1867, and that
a Door man would lose his vote be-
cause of expense.
Those claims are absolutely false.
but are being industliously circulated
| by unscrrpulous men in every county
in the State, and, in some instances,
good men take up the idea that some
of these claims are true. and comment
unfavorably on the amendment.
| Surely no man can afford to form
an opinion about anything without
knowing something about it, and still
less can he afford to discuss it and
thus help to form public opinion.
Here are some facts in regard to
the amendment every voter ought to
know before he makes UP his mind
about the matter:
First. The constitutional amend
ment, if adopted, Will not disfranchiSe
white men. Section was framed eX-
pressly to prevent that, and preserves
to every white man, and even to ev-
cry white boy who will come of age
by 1908, the right to vote whether he
can read and write OR not. A perma-
nent record of the names Of such per-
sons is required by the constitution
to be kept. so that their right to vote
can never be questioned.
Second. There is no word in the
amendment requiring 4 property quail
fication. A man does not have to own
$500 worth of property to vote. 1t
makes no difference whether he has a
dollars worth or not. If he or any of
his forefathers was voter in 1861,
: or if he can read and write he can
vote. Provided, only that he has paid
his poll tax ii required by law to do
SO.
Third. It does require man to
pay poll tax, unless exempt by age or
for some other lawful cause. The as
sertion, however, tlG:t old and indi-
gent men would be compelled to pay
poll tax is absolutely untrue. Section
is perfectly clear upon this point,
and no doubt the Wise trainers of the
amendment had this class OF men in
I N, hoy s.. a
prescribed by Jaw"
The amendment does not provide
! that the mans ancestor should have
voted before 1867. Section 5 plainly
says: untitled to vote" So all that
is necessary is ito show that his ances-
tor could have voted if he desired,
either in 1867 or at any time prior
thereto. This is as broad as can be
and suStains every white mans vote.
| The Legislature did not have the
power to disfranchise a single indi-
, vldlral. 1t could only suggest certain
changes IN the constitution and sub
nit the question to the people, and
the people themselves must determine
the result. This is right. 1t is Demo-
: cratic. l have no fears of the result
III THE people Will only study the
amendment and find out what it is.
/ There is only one object that is de-
sired to be obtained by this amend
ment, and that lis to cut off a portion
OF the ignorant negro vote and pre-
vent a recurrence of such events as
transpired during the last campaign.
II did not believe this was best for
the colored race as well as my own
! would oppose it, Dut l am fully con.
vlnced that 1t is best for all that it be
made impossible for vicious colored
men ever again to dominate eastern
North Carolina. Those who were there
during the last campaign know thot
our people stood on the brink of a ro-
clal riot which seemed at times nm
avoldable, and if lit had come would
nave been bad enough for the white
race and awful in its consequences to
Inc poor deluded negroes. Such a con-
altfon must never again occur. We
nave the race problem to solve. we
must face it. The resnnnsihiIi+r -