The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-02-02
SPIRIT OF HE PRESS
SHOULD BE PROMPTLY AND
UNHESITATINGLY SUB
MITTED.
Charlotte Observer.

There seems to be no method by which
the suffrage can be restricted i'll North
Carolina to those who should vote, eX-
cept by an amendment to the Constitu-
ton. An election law which would per-
nit the dominant party to count out
the opposition or otherwise defraud it
is open to objection on the ground that
it is not honest and that its application
tends to demoralize those who execute
it. and those who know of its execution
for the purpose mentioned: for it must
be seen that the tendency of dishonesty
in politics is toward dishonesty in person
al transactions. But aside from this ia
tai objection to such an election law as
that indicated, it cannot always be de-
depended upon as an effective agent fer
the purpose of its creation. 1t was seen
in 1894 how. with an election law of
Democratic making and with the ma
chinery in Democratic hands, the peopl"
dislodged this party; and again in 1898
how, with a law of fusion making and
with it's execution in the hands of flu
sionists. the people ran over it and I'm
horsed the party in power. 1t was Meth
er honest nor efficient, nor can conf
dence in its efficiency be placed in any
dishonest election law. So, without sug-
costing that the Democrats have or ever
had purpose to enact a law which was
open to fraud, the point is here made
that if it is intended to shut out from
the polls the ignorant, unpatriotic and ir-
responsible element of the population, it
is necessary to go deeper than the enact
ment of a mere statute law. which will
be subject to amendment or repeal by
any succeeding Legislature; in a word
the provision will have to be engrafted
in the constitution, from which it can be
stricken only by vote of the people
themselves.
This reasoning Is ali commonplace
enough, but it is not an unnecessary pre-
liminary to brief discussion of the
fact that a proposed constitutional
amendment is under consideration at
Raleigh, having for it's object the per-
manence of white supremacy in the
State. Its text was printed in this pa
per some days ago and the reader is
familiar with its provisions. There is
no need to undertake any cOncealment
of the fact that the design is to exclude
from the privilege of the ballot the il
iiterate blacks without excluding the
illiterate whites. The Democratic party
is under solemn promise. made by its
State chairman, and otherwise. during
the last campaign, not to disfranchise
any white man, and this pledge it will,
of course, sacredly observe. but how to
disfranchise the ignorance of one race
without DISTINGUISHING that of the other
has been the problem. 1t has been
met by the provision that no son or
grandson of any person who was a
voter prior to January /. 1867. shall be
deprived of the right of suffrage for
lack of the educational qualification
which the proposed amendment pre-
scribes. This meets the case. This is
the essential principle of what is known
as ''the Louisiana plan" and the only
objection a Democrat can bring against
it is that it has never been interpreted
by the courts and it's constitutionality
determined. The ablest lawyers in the
Legislature, including the distinguished
Speaker of the House, say that it is
constitutional. Other eminent authori-
ties, some of them outside the State
who have been consulted, concur in this
opinion. In the light of all the facts,
therefore, it appears that this measure
should be promptly and unhesitatingly
submitted by the Legislature to the peo-
pie for their ratification or rejection.