The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-09-10
A SOLAR PLExUS TO THE OPPONENTS OF
THE AMENDMENT.

The Asheville Gazette, the organ Of
the Republican party in Western North
Carolina, has from time to time quoted
certain editorials from the Washington
Post criticizing severely the proposed
constitutional amendment. The Post
fayors a straight educational qualiiica-
ton for voters and objects to it be-
cause under the grand father clause
white men who are uneducated can vote
while illterlte negroes cannot Tho
Gazette denounces the amendment allcg-
ing incorrectly that it DISTINGUISHES
white voters. Now either the Post or
the Gazette is wrong. Both cannot be
right, and the Post has not the mo-
tive in deceiving the people that actuates
the Gazette. As the Republican organ,
the Gazette knows the amendment will
carry with a breeze unless umeducated
white men can be persuaded that 1t
win disfranchise them. To implant that
falsehood in their heads is the mission
for which the Gazette was procured by
its new owners. 1t is II terrible blow
to the Gazette, after quoting with appro-
val from the Washington Post, to- be
told by that paper that the amendment
is wrong only BECAUSE II GUAR
ANTEES THE RIGHT TO VOTE
TO EVERY WHITE MAN IN THE
STATE while denying it to thousands
of negroes.
But that is a small blow that the Post
administers to the GazetYe in comparison
to the solar plexus which it delivers OH
the question of constitutionahty The
Gazette has been telling its readers day
after day that the grandfather
clause would be declared nconstitu-
tional. Which would be likely to know
best about the constitutionality- the
leading paper at the Federal capital or
Senator Pritchard's newly acquired or
gam? The Post quotes the Gazette's
contention, and says:
"Our North Carolina neighbor is too
sanguine. He predicts that the courts
will throw out section because it is
obviously unconstitutional, burt we call
attention to the fact that the Louisiana
suffrage laws contain not only this mon
StrouS provision, burt others still more
vile, and that no court has yet thrown
them out, or seems likely to. Under sec
ton ., every sandhiller and dirt-eater
and cracker-the whole pestiferous white
riff-raff of the South, LII fact-can vote.
That is what the louisiana constitution
makers intended, 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 it's igmo-
rant and vicious vote. 1t seems to us,
on the contrary, that this amendment
retains the very worst and most dan
gerous element OF all"
The Posts Characterization of the UNI
educated whites shows THAT IL does not
know chem, has taken no account of
their virtues, their heroism in war and
patriotism in peace, but, Ii e North Car
Dina Republicans, puts the mlearned
white man and negro on the same low
plane. If the editor of the Post would
come TO North Carolina and become
acquainted with many good unlettered
white men, whom he calls "pestiferous
white riff-raff, . he would upon the spot
apologize to the best element of those
voters who i'm their youth were denied
the advantages of education. We say
this confidently because the Post is not
unfair where it is informed.
The Gazette's p'ayerful attention is
called to this paragraph from the Post,
its ally in fighting the amendment: I'VE
call attention to the fact that the Louis
lana suffrage laws contain not only this
provision tthe grandfather
clause and tfat NO COUNT
HAS YET THROWN THEM OUT
OR SEEMS LIKELY TO-
The Post is right, but it has given
a blow to the North Carolina denrago-
CUES Who are fighting the amendment
that at once destroys their position and
exposes their deception. The Post
will not be the Gazette's fayorite Elk
change after this plain spoken expo
sure of itsNdupicity.