The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1899-09-12
Suflrafe IN North Carolina.


We sincerely trust that the esteemed
Gazette. OF Asheville. n. c.. Is correct in
sc estimate OF the proposed suffrage
amendment 20 the North Carolina consti-
tuition. bu, we have our apprehensions.
The Gazette says:
EFT would. we believe. have been better for
the cause OF the amendment II those inter
Csted IN its success had come out boldly al
the first and told the truth. Whatever
fate II may suffer at the hands of the
courts. il Is a measure that DISTINGUISHES
both whites and blacks. II the courts
throw out the fifth section OF L, which is
plainly unconstitutional, Il VIII sweep
through the white counties OF Western
Carolina like a Kansas cyclone. Nearly
third OF the white vote OF the Ninth Con-
Grcssonal District will be wiped out II
the courts, by any miracle Of Providence,
let the whole measure remain law, still
the whites viii not escape"
As we say. We have our misgivings upon
this point The proposed amendment pro-
vides In section that every person pre-
senting himself for registration shall be
able 10 read and write any section of the
constitution in the English language"
That is all very wen. though we think the
exhibition Of a tax receipt might profit
ably have been added 10 the list Of quail
fications; but how does our esteemed con-
temporary dispose Of section 5. which fol-
lows, providing that no male person who
was. on January /. 1867, or al any time
prior thereto, entitled TO vote under the
laws OF any State In the United States
wherein he then resided, and no Iineal de-
scendant Of any such person. shall be de-
MED the right to register and vote at any
election in this State by reason Of his fail
ure to possess the educational qualifica-
tons prescribed in section of this article,
provided, he shall have registered in ae-
cOrdance with the terms of this section
prior to December /, 1903" And what be-
comes OF that Kansas cyclone which was
10 sweep through the western counties
and disfranchise those high-minded white
patriots who. after centuries OF civiliza-
ton, are still unable to read and write?
Our North Carolina neighbor is too san
Euine. He predicts that the courts will
throw out section because il is obviously
unconstitutional. but We call attention to
contain not only this monstrous provision,
but others still more vile, and that no
court has yet thrown them out or seems
likely TO. Under section 8, eve.y sand
hitler and dirt-eater and ,racker-the
whole pestiferous white riff-ran of the
South, in fact-Can vote. That is what
the Louisiana constitution-makers intend
ed, and that will be the operation of the
law. We fail TO see, therefore, how North
Carolina will rid itself of more than a
part of its ignorant and vicious vote. 1t
seems 10 us on the contrary, that this
amendment retains the very worst and
most dangerous element of all
There is just one way in which this out
rage can be arrested, and that is TO be
found in Congress. If the Republican ma
jority will have the courage TO refuse ad-
mission to all would-be members elected
under this amazing system. the Southern
States, which have adopted it, will be
forced TO abandon ii or go without repre-
sentation. Both the Louisiana Senator'S
one of them a former chief justice of the
proviso in their own constitution, which
is exactly identiL with section of the
North Carolina amendment, and declared
it unconstitutional Such is the opinion
of every jurisconsult The truth is that il
violates the fifteenth amendment TO the
Federal Constitution as absolutely as if il
drew the color line in plain words OF
course the negroes have no ancestors who
could vote on January l, 1867 or course
the whites all have. Thus the educational
qualification applies to one race, but
does not touch the other. 1t is a clear, I'M
deniable case of discrimination on account
Of race, color, and previous condition Of
servitude.
The Southern Statez Will make no prog
ress in the direction Of good government
by such eXpedients as these. So long as
The ignorant and vicious white element
can vote. the Southern ballot-box will be
corrupt and the SoLth's politics impure.