The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-08-24

feet will be to disfranchise all illiterate
negroes and no white man. however illit-
crate he may be- whose ancestor could
vote prior to 1867. We contend that this
is just and measures up to the prescribed
standard.
Education is some evidence of good
citizenship and the right Of suffrage.
The acquisition Of property may be some
evidence But the true and highest test
Of the right to exercise this power is man
hood-manhood in the full meaning of
that word-the capacity to know the
right "and knowing dare maintain" This
is the basis of all law and all government.
The men whom this amendment will dis
franchise do not possess this requisite
of the right to vote; the men whom it
protects do possess it.
The great power of suffrage was sudden
ly conferred upon the ignorant and emo
tional black man. His immediate ances-
tors were unframed Savages in Africa,
and he had known nothing but life of
willing seryitudc. He was least fitted
Of all the races Of mankind to participate
in the government of highly civilized
society And yet being Il majority in
many sections he found himself unex-
pectedly possessed of the power to make
for it. He could not use it intelligently
1t became curse to him and to the
State. An experience of thirty years has
taught them nothing in this respect All
men now realize the folly of the fifteenth
amendment Of the Constitution Of the
United States
NEGRO DOMINATION RUINOUS.
The political ascendency OF the class
who control the negro vote i'm the South
has always, without single exception,
been characterized by scandal corrup-
ton, peculation and the States disgrace.
The negro is a kind. dociIe creature, but
he is controlled by his passions and fol-
lows the leadership of those who will
arouse and appeal to his lowest preju-
dices. He is a vicious partisan in poll
tics. He looks upon one who quits the
party rank as a renegade and a deSerter
to be ostracised and prosecuted. He
will know no party distinction except
color, and recognizes no controlling prin-
ciples except the passion of race
against race To make this numerical
strength the basis Of his political power
is ruinous to the State This power
should be taken from him until he can
learn to exercise it in the realization
of the responsibilities Of citizenship.
THE FITNESS or THE WHITE
MAN
The men whose suffrages are protected
by this amendment are the descendants
Of twenty centuries Of selfgoyerning
ancestors. Says Mcneil. the German
historian: while sages Of the East We're
teaching wisdom beneath the palms;
while the merchants of Tyre and Car
thage, were weighing their heavy am
chors anda spreading their purple sails
for far seas; while the Greek was max
ing the earth fair by his art, and the
Roman founding his colossal empire of
force, the Teuton sat yet child, naked
among the forest beasts. and yet UNI
harmed, and in his sport he lorded it over
them. for the child was of a royal race
and destined to win glory for all time to
COME The Anglo Saxons of North Car
olina are the heirs of the qualities that
have ruled the earth. Though sometimes
unlettered. they are not unworthy to ex-
ercise the privilege descended from their
ancestors. Many of them are men whose
veteran faces have burnt in battle
smoke whose bodies bear the sears made
by steel that bristled on fields of war.
1t was my privilege to see one of these
old men, with white beard and head, sit
ting in the hall Of the House Of Repre-
sentatiyes at Raleigh whileNthe amend
ment was under consideration. He un-
derStood that it required an educational
qualification to vote without any eXcep-
ton. He could neither read nor write.
With tears in his eyes de declared that
he would be one who would willingly
surrender this right that he might help
to save his State. Such are the men
whose lives have saved ind sanctilied hui
manity Such are the men who work
in field and factory as in the Great Task
Masters eye. Such are the men who
have laid world wide foundation of the
empire of the Anglo-Saxon man. They
are the men who were remembered by
the servants Of the people who wrote
this amendment. Not one VIII ever be
DISTINGUISHED by the great party of the
common people.
THE BENEFITS TO ACCRUE.
The adoption of this amendment means
a purer political life in North Carolina.
1t means that the necessity Of the fierce
and bitter race struggles Of the past will
cease; that ruin and degradation will no
longer threaten our State md her insti-
tablshed law of this land that white men
shall make and administer the laws. Its
humane justice has been demonstrated
by the bitter experiences Of the past. Not
to write it in the Constitution would 5e
to shrink from responsibility, to invite
calamity, to encourage disrespect for
law. and decentralization of the manhood
of our State, TO transmit to poSterty the
settlement of the race question in more
aggravated form. Who in North Caro-
lima does not believe in white supremacy?
Then how shall it be established. if not
by constitutional amendment? That it
will be is as inevitable as the decree OF +.
Him who built the pillars Of the world.
The Democratic party of North Caro-
lima is descended from the loins Of the
men of Kings Mountain and Gulford
Court House The right of her patriot
sons is the unconqucrable spirit Of the
men who sleep in the battle SCARED boz
som of old Virginia. The men of 90 and
their "lineal descendants" are worthy Of
the ancestors of 1T and they will pre-