The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-12-05
H AMENDMENT.

correspondence OF Bnc Progressive Il dI LlCLs
From tue ranliDgs OF the opponents
of the amendment one would suppose
that iJs purpose is to ditranchlse al
white man. How surprising after
reading the hysterical wailings of one
OF these writers to find that after all
the amendment will disfranchise only
two classes: lat, these negroes who
ne ither by training or education are
prepared for voting; 81, those white
O Y who with all the advantages OF
their own youth and the States educa.
tional system, refuse to qualify them
selves for voting by learning to read
and write.
Instead of columns OF meaningless
talk, why do not the opponen's OF the
amendment address themselvas to the
only real questions at issu Why
have the right of suffrage. and why
should not we encourage education by
requiring an educational qualification
OF boys who have the advantages Of
LENS 5CAAOOAS Luz 6b tChSN blLO lux yC0ASH
TIE right Of suffrage ia not a natural
heritage, but a gift Of the State. The
matter has never been better presented
than 6y Hon George e Bugs, who
in a recent issue ot Tee Progressive
Farmer, said:
"MsnY pers ns, it seems to me, are
gravely IN error in assuming that vot
ing is in itself a most important lean
for elevating the masses, and that
therefore the State is obliged TO grant
unlimited suffrage. The eff CT that
suffrage will have on those who vote
viii depend on their fitness or unfitneas
for it's proper exercise. Many tnou-
sands Of u people are iDjured-aye
debased by the manner in which they
use the right Of suffrage. So far from
being obligated to grant such a prIvt-
Iega TO those who would abuse it, the
State IL obligated to as tars as possible to
wlChh~ld it from such pc. sons lst as q
parent Is bound to withhold edged tools
as play things from his children In
facC Eha obligation resting on the State
is greater siGce the incompetent or
vicious voter Injuries others as we'll as
himself.
Special Legislation for the benefit OF
the CITIZENS OF o State is essentially
wrong In this case it is doubly go
sir &C it not only fails to benefit, but
actually irjIres it's proposed or pre-
tended beneficiaries and ell others with
them
Again, Mr.. Editor, while 1 realize
that The Progressive Farmer is not a
partisan paper, 1 hope you will allow
me to say In reply to some who strive
TO awaken party passion or
prejudice, that the amendment is not a
party measure, but the best interests
OF all parties demand it's passage. Let
iG not ba forgotten that nearly or quite
half the Populists in the last legislature
voted TO submit the amendment to the
people and that the amendment mum
0ers among its supporters many of the
leading Populists and Republicans Of
the State.
Those who cay the amendment will
not take the negro out of politics stu
diouely avoid all reference to the fact,
proven by eff 'iRl figures, that the
amendment will leave ten voting whites
TO each voting negro. But the fact will
nevertheless not down. And with such
a condition every sensible man knows
the negro issue will be too deed for
resurrection.
And 81 politics will be pu.er. And
with purer politics, Increased interest
IN education, and q higher standard of
GU 7nship we shall never regret vot
Ing for the amendment.
! EREFORMER.