New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-09-12
THr s0rTH AND NEGRO SUFFRAGE.

Ttttle attention seems 10 have been attracted
o far 70 the effort in progress in North Carolina
IN ahridge- and practically 10 aboish-the
necro's right 10 suffrage In that state. let
none NJ the earlier Southern attempts 10 dls-
franchise the black voter by legislation ever
took co fragrant a form or violated so openly
tho constitutional guarantee embodied In the
XVIII Amendment Both in intention ana
IN letter the scheme OF suffrage abridgment
submitted for approval to the people of North
carolina seens to invite that clash with Fed
oral prohibitions which constitutional revsers
in other Southern States have sedulously sought
- avoid u not In fact at least In appearance
In tho nrescnt experiment all pretences and
evaeions have been dismissed as superfuous,
and nonular sanction Is boldly asked for an
o-,orAoa constitution which disfranchises the
,ooro &C q negro not as criminal, as non
+o,-novor or rs an nliterate The acceptance
o,d ottornnted enforcement Of such suffrage
test ore plainly forbidden by the Federal In
trnction that 1.-The right of citizens Of the
~1-ni,ed States to vote shall not be abridged
CIV tho Tinted States or by any State on ac-
"co,nt Of race. color or previous condition OF
.sarvitude" and the predicted approval Of the
amended North Carolina constitution next No
VpmOpr
4,c+ whose ultimate effect on the power OF
the South in politics is not easy 10 foresee OF
measure.
The new constitution does indeed nomlhaIlE
VOL ,ts real purpose to dsfranchise the negro
o.. . ,o,ro under the pretence Of enforcing an
educational test One Of its earlier sections
nrovides that "every person presenting himself
"for registration Ia necessary preliminary 70
oblo 70
"sect,on Of the constitution in the English Ian
"cuage" This condition might stand OF itself
az Il involves none Of the determinations pro
hibited by the XVIII Amendment Indeed It
Is more liberal in its terms than similar articles
IN other amended Southern constitutions. nc
cordjng 10 which the applicant for registration
NAV be required to show an intelligent under
standing Of the matter given to him 10 be read
or written But under the illiteracy test I'M
posed nv the North Carolina revisers thousands
of white as well as black voters would also be
excluded from the right Of suffrage In sub
seouent section, therefore. the new constitution
declares that no male person who was on
January /. 1867. or at any time prior thereto
entitled TO vote under the laws OF any state
'wheren he then resided and no neal descend
"ant Of any such person, shall be denied the
"this state by reason Of his failure 10 possess
"the educational qualifications provided in Sec
"ton 4 Of this article, provided he shall have
registered IN accordance with the terms Of
this section prior TO December |, 1905" AS
the negroes are the only citizens Of North Caro-
lima not having ancestors who could have voted
under the various State laws prior to 1867 the
discrimination against them Is based pre-
cisely and exclusively on race. color or pre-
vlous condition Of servitude," and is therefore
vlolative Of all three OF the conditions put upon
restrictive State legislation by the general
Government
1t would be equally fortunate for all sections
OF the country II schemes 10 abolish negro
suffrage, such as that In contemplation In North
Carolina or that in actual operation in Louis
ana. Mississippi and South Carolina, could be
brought In the near future TO a deliberate and
thorough constitutional test. Congress has now
undoubted power under the XIvth Amend
ment 10 reduce the representation allowed &c
Mississippi South Carolina and Louisiana L
correspond with the contraction Of the suffrage
caused by negro disfranchsement Should