The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-02-13

after a0u8Fy 1 1JU0 Rnu FesLulbS T"
a school district IN which the State
fails to M .intain free puOIic schools
for an average of four months or more
per year t r four years preceding his
twenty first birthday, snail be denied
the right to register or vote at any
election in this 8 late oy reason of bis
failure to possess .he educational quail
6catlon prescribed in s 'ction 4 Of THE
article.
NEW SECTION.
Section 9 E ,cn political party cast
ing at any election in this State 90 600
or more votes for any one of it's can
dido shall in the succeeding election
year be entitled to representation, in
number equal to that allowed any
other political party and with all the
powers and privileges granted any pc
litical party, upon the State Board OF
Elec ioDs; and upon all oun y boards
in counties in which such a party
maintains a party organization. And
in every election precinct in which
such a party maintains a party organ
IzaJion, it shall be entitled to repre-
sentatioD, equal in number, powers
and privileges to that of any other pc
luicsl party, upon all boards for con
due ing elections and counting vot' g
and upon ell registration boards or
boards for judging the quaEf cations
OF electors.
No one, We think, will dispute the
Justice of the sc two measures; and te ~,
We think, will openly oppose them.
The first will assure all that no white
BOY Will be diefranchIsed by the pro
posed ameDdm-nt because of the fail
ure of the STATE to provide the neces-
sary educational advantages; the sec
ond will not only make election frauds
and vote stealing impossible, but will
also forever settle a question that has
for many years overshadow we'd live pc.
litical questions that deserved the at.
Geotion of the people. IL is time to
settle 70 the fullest extent possible the
two so called Issues that have for many
campaigns eclIpsed State issues proper
-''nigger" and ''bull pens"
1t is time TO put into the Conetitu
ton itself the fundamental principles
of fair elections and settle once and for
ell time ballot box stuff rg and bull pen
methods. And in dung thie, as we
have just stated, we remove from the
political arena one OF the most trouble
some of 30 called issues-a perennial
one that bobs up in every campaign
and attracts to itself The attention that
other matters des rye.
Now we have not the slightest OBJ
j 'cVion to lis presenting itself in every
campaign until it is settled right, for
the right Of a free ballot and fair
COUNT Is the very corner stone of free
Institutions and popular government
and the question Of fair elections
should be paramount as long as up lst
laws threaten US. But the re
Is no reason in keeping this iEsue to
plague US in every campaign when the
new section which we propose would,
Il adopted, make unfair elections i'm
possible and abolish this unnecessary
in politics
The proposed addition to Section 5
consider equally just and equally
necessary. Il guarantees that the
State will not deal harshly with those
Oy whom she fails to do her acknowI,
duty The section of the Con
'tItution declaring that the State shall
provide four months public schools
has up to date been a dead letter and
We have no assurance that the adop
ion OF the amendment as it now stands
would put life into its dry bones. And
here are thous6 nds Of voters who will
oppose the amendment if it, without
guaranteeing the needed public school
advantages, proposes to disfranchise
.llIterate whites who become of age
Itte, 1908. OF course we are told that
he schools will be lib rally supported
that this proposed addition to S3c.
ion 8 is unnecessary. OF course; and
ne Constitution itself tells us, and has
Old Us for twenty years, past that the
} ate shall provide four months pub
&c schools. We do not see any more
eason for placing confidence in the
unsupported statements of those who
low assure US that the State will prop.