The semi-weekly messenger., 1900-05-15
RADICALS DODGING, INvENTING
AND DECEIvING.

AND DECEIvING.
1t is stated that Pritchard and gang
have abandoned their absurd conten-
ton as to the fifth section of the
amendment disfra nchising any white
man. 1t is surprising that men of or
binary intelligence, not wholly denied
the possibilities of truth telling, should
have ever made such a contention
The wish was father to the thought.
They simply wanted it so. and they
made the ugly. indefensible assertion
that it was so. We hope it is true
that they have given up the deceptive.
baseless assertion, and that the small
fry under the leaders will be counsell-
ed to stop lying about the amendment.
These ingenious schemers, as the
to shift their ground when they find it
sinking under their feet. They are
fruitful in new expedients and inven-
tive in new lodges. Their hearts were
so tender and yearning first over the
solemn, regretful idea of having the
old negroes disfranckised. Tears only
could express the depth of their dis
tress over this denial of the elective
franchise to the old ignorant negroes,
who did not know a letter in the spell
ing book. 1t was awful, and the white
sympathisers snivelled and mourned
over it. But they soon exhausted all
sympathy, mainly manufactured, in
that direction.
Next it was the Internal democratic
plot to disfranchise all the unlettered
white men. They tried this but it
would not hold. Just so soon as the
touchstone of truth was applied, their
cause like pretence disappeared and
they were forced to shift again their
mode Of attack. They are now panied
we'll nigh to death over the clause that
concerns boys of thirteen. 1t is too bad
they say. 1t is monstrous that only
eight years are given to the white boys
to learn how to read and write. Hor-
rible. HorribleI Just think of it, of
the meanness of the democrats, to ap-
| ply an educational test in 1908, to the
boys now living-aged 13-who must
be able to read and write by the time
they are twenty-one years of age. A
great outrage they say. Well, if a boy
! has not mind enough to learn to read
| in eight years he has not intelligence
enough to be qualified as a voter at
any time, with or without q test. Of
course all this republican talk is meant
to bamboozle and prejudice ignorant
fathers. No man of sense can be de-
ceiyed for a moment by such attenuat-
ed demagogy. If white boys cannot
learn to read in eight years with edu-
cational advantages furnished them
free then they are too stupid to vote
with any proper degree of discernment
and to assume the full responsibilities
or civic life. If all the whites were as
stupid as the republican jay-hawks
pretend then abolish the public schools
and save all the millions expended in
North Carolina in public education.
That pole tax business is another
awful, most disturbing business 1t is
just too mean for the democrats to re-
quite that a fellow who votes to tax
you shall himself be compelled to pay
poll tax. The demagogues are -four
ishing. They must laugh in their
sleeves when they face a crowd and
dare to speak of this proposed poll tax
arrangement 1t is too puerile and
low and contemplate to require serious
notice.
Let the public schools be enlarged,
increased in usefulness, and let more
mOnRVS q tn odn 70 hof
and black children, and make an edu-
cational test for franchise equipment.
and the payment of a personal poll tax
before being allowed to vote to tax
others. No man of honor and decency
and ordinary sense can object to either.
Mr. Aycock, that wise, discreet, we'll
balanced young man, says this:
Il find that the people at every point
receive gladly the promise of the DEM
ocratic party to adequately provide for
universal education for the children of
the state. If democratic speakers and
newspapers press the fight along this
line the republicans will be driven to
Withdraw their attack on that part of
the amendment which requires the ed
ucatlon of all children who are now un-
der Ii years of age as a condition pre-
cedent to voting. The people are salts
fled with the provision which secures
for every white man over Is years of
age the right to vote forever without
educational qualification and they are
not only willing, but even anxious,
that those under 13 shall be required
to read and write, because in this lat
ter provision they find a guarantee
that all political parties in future will
strive with one another to provide for
the education of the citizen to the end
that he may vote