The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-05-14


the committee for the original Winston
Bin. Ii is the result Of much anxious
consideration by each member Of the
committee Of the actual conditions and
of the many difficult problems arising
therefrom. 1t is the result Of mutual con-
cessionsit is, IN fact, rs such 1nstru-
mcnts usually are compromise between
conflicting opinions. But. such rs 1t Is,
1t has the unqualified support OF every
member OF the committee, Of all the
lawyers in the General Assembly, and OF
many OF the most distinguished lawyers
in the State, who have been consulted
and who have carefully studied the ques-
tions involved, as a legal, a just, and an
effective means for securing TO the peo-
pie of North Carolina For many years
to come the blessings Of good govern
ment.
In the early years Of the century, in
spired by the lofty ideals Of the Revolu-
tionary enthusiasts OF France-''tthe
ideas of 'S9''--and confirmed by the APP
paremtly successful experiments of some
of the States of the United States, many
philosophers dreamed of political mil
lenium based upon universal suffrage,
when there should be no political inj'ps-
tice or social inequalities, when 'llbef-
ty, equality and fraternity would be the
chart and compass by which the ship of
State was to be navigated
For some wears it looked as if this
dream might he realized, but. alas. when
the conditions so ardently hoped for We're
secured. when the ideal of universal suf-
frage was attained. the expectations OF
its friends were sadly disappointed. That
ideal was most certainly appropriated
when the Fifteenth Amendment to the
Constitution Of the United States was
adopted Enquestionally the promoters
of that amendment were phiantfropists
and statesmen of Il very high order, but
we hazard nothing in saying that a
greater crime against civilization was
never perpetrated in a self-governing
community.
Indeed. this is almost universally adj
mitted at the present time. The result
of s,lbmerging the electorate OF many
States of the South hy the infusion OF
such an immense quantity of voters ut
terly unacquai1ted with the principles
of government, incapable OF self control
and possessing few of the virtues of
citizenship was frightful The results
in Louisiana. Mississippi, South Caro-
Lima and in our own beloved Common
wealth are enough to convince any but
the most hardy fanatic that there must
be some limitation upon the Ilght OF
suffrage. that the right 10 vote ought not
to be given to any who are not to some
extent qualified to Use ii wisely. This
lesson is taught. perhaps III a lesser de-
gree. by the unhappy experience ~ many
of our sister States III the North and
West with Immigrants admitted to the
high privilege of the elective franchise
without adequate preparation. without
understanding the principles of this gov
eminent, and, fortunately. the lesson
was SO well learned by the general gov
eminent that the Chinese We're. and are.
scarcely permitted to become citizens
under any conditions whatever.
AT the present time 1t Is doubtful il
any man worthy TO he called a STATES
man believes in universal suffrage as a
nanlcpa for social ills and governmental
wrongs. AS Sir Henry Maine has SO
well shown, in his book on Popular Gov
trnment" democracy. even though based
on manhood suffrage. is not an end IN
. itself, it is but a means to an cnd--the
object sought is good governmem-the
advancement Of civilization: and if it
fails in this. the government, by what
ever name called, is a melancholy fail
ure.
III framing a bin for the government
Of lhe Island of Hawaii, Congress has
yerA materially abridged the right of the
inhabitants to vote. combining 1t TO those
posSdsSing a certain amount of intelll-
gence. In Cuba it is said filat the au-
thortles of this government, in permit
ting cbrtain cities and districts to gov
ern themselves, have limited the right
10 vote to not over twenty per cent of the
inhabitants. because, i'll the opinion or
those best qtls,hdiied to judge, they alone
were capable of exercising the faculty
of self government, were quahhed to
vote: and. in the case of the Phllpplne
Islands, no one in a1shority has seri-
Dusty proposed to allow them to govern
themselves mt ALL simply because by
reason of their traditions. habits and
customs. they are known to be utterly
unacauainted with the principles of en-
lighted self government. and hence We're
incapable of governing themselves.
THE citizens of the States OF the South
after the adoption of the recent amend
fments to the Constitution OF the United
States. took up the white Mans Bur-
dem and patiently and faithfully and
honestly tried TO bear it-tried to OBJ
tain decent government. although, IN
many places. the majority OF the voters
were as hopelesSy ignorant Of the prln-
ciples of our government rs the Full
pinos.
But the attempt, as | have already
said. failed most miserably. The alter
natives We're surrender by the white
men or circumvention, and the Anglo
Saxon never surrenders,
The resort TO force or fraud is most
demoralzng. and the conscience OF the
white men of the South revolted ut it.
and so. one by one, the Southern States
have begun to take up the problem of SO
restricting the suffrage as TO enable the
virtue and intelligence of the State to
control it.
The first to do SO was Mississippi.
then South Carolina, and lastly Louis
lana. s
The action of these States has been
commended by the best minds of the