The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1900-03-17

sample of an opinion OF the Oou'u
which is still extsnt in a few narrow
Northern minds and finds expression
in organs Of the pink and yellow va
riety. The editor of the Telegraph
takes a recent speech delivered in
Boston by that renegade SOutherner,
the Honorable Henry Clay Evans, as
his cue for q drastic article on
"Where Minorities Govern 1t
quotes the speaker as declaring him
self fearful that "the union cannot
long submit to the strained relations
that exist by reason Of the determin'
ed and persistent usurpstion OF OH
eial power in some of our States by
the minority" and recites statistics
comparing the vote for Congressman
stating that in the North 1t took 5l2,'
$50 voters to elect IA men to Con
eress, while in the South it took only
$3.50 to elect the same number. The
editor then lashes himself into q fu-
ror and demands that justice be sa'
tisted by constitutional provision
in offset to property or educational
prerequisitions-requiring represen'
tstion in Congress and the Electoral
College to be based upon the number
of votes cast in national elections,
and not according to population.
In taking notice of this volcano OF
animus, aimed at the South, it is not
our intention now to defend or attack
the methods of Acknowledgement here
!. ~ elsewhere Local exigencles furnish
individual arguments OF defense Tor
each separate case. But to the class
10 which the editor Of the Plttsburg
paper belongs we would use thescrip'
tursl injuuction-"Let him that Is
without sin cast the first stone"
While it may or may not be true that
the figures used correctly denote the
disparity in votes which choose Rep
resentstives, the South is not alone,
nor was she the nrst in adopting
methods for the restriction OF detri
mental SURFACES. The object to be
accomplished in all the States which
work under restrictions of some sort,
at the North as well as at the South,
is that intelligence and property in
terests shall not become subordinate
to illiteracy and penury. Then, as
such laws obtain without respect to
locality is it just to fling at partic'
ular section where greater exigenoies
REQUIRE more drastic handling of the
question: Because there be fewer
illiterate and poor in New England
who are disfranchised than in the
South is the latter to be
condemned for exercising 8 prerogs-
tive which grants social, political
and moral supremacy to higher intel
4 ligepceP Should the Congressman
who is chosen under custom which
permits q business msgnate to con-
troll the political consciences of a
thousand employees have a better IL
tie to his seat than one who is chos-
en- by less number of votes which
represent by large maJorities
the SURFACES of the intelligence
of his district And as this domi-
mating intelligence represents an
equal number Of inhabitants with the
other should not credentials from
it be as equitsbleH
The SMILES have been drawn with
odds to the northern elector. His
vote dictates to and controls many
men whose political acumen is equal,
if not superior, to the master, and
they have no axes to grind as does
the latter. Nptrammelled, they
would be far ADLER directors Of
governmental policies. In the
South all must admit that
there is q measurable difference
The rank OF the disqualified here are
bred in ignorance of political econo-
my and nurtured in the cradle of
political enmity to the truest friend
he has ever had. His interests, with
out question, are safer in the
hands of this superior than they
would be under the sway Of ignorance
and malignity. So, if he be not per-
mitted to vote, the moral world will
admit that he needs representation,
and that the representation he re-
ceives is equal to the enlightenment
of any-from Esst to West and be-
tween North and South.
In contradistinction to the Pitts
burg editors views and heated TRADE
the following cool and sensible ex'
tract is found in the Philadelphia Eu-
ouirer, an extremely radical journal
Of Republican faith;
..The House bill relating to the gov
avument Of the Hawaiian Islands grants
Cha ballot to all persons who are iniel.
Iicsnt enough TO read and write. This
e. very wise provision. Universal