The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-07-29
POWER OF NEGRO
TO Be DEFINED,
North Carolina RedShirt Cam
paign Against Illiterate
Black Voters.
VOTE TO BE TAKEN WEDNESDAY
Amendment Prepared by the Dem
ocrats Provides for the Dis
reimbursement of Over
100000 Negroes.
VOTE TO BE TAKEN WEDNESDAY


Raleigh. n. G., July S--The people or
North Carolina WILL on next Wednesday.
vote upon the question of DISTINGUISHING
the negro. The campaign. now about ended,
has been one Of the most exciting the Tar
heels have ever witnessed.
The fight really began two years ago. The
Republicans and Populists had gained con-
troll of the State. The result of this fusion
was that more than 1000 negro men had
been given offices. They held positions
from District Attorney down to Constable.
Hundreds and thousands of negro men and
women from Georgia. South Carolina. vir-
ginia ard other States poured into North
Carolina. II was not long before the con-
ditions became intolersbie. There was
thieving AID various other forms OF crime
committed every day.
The campaign for white supremacy was
begun In 1885. Various persons claim the
hcnor Of having first suggested that fight
he made to put down black rule. 1t was
a warm one and ended in a riot a, wilm-
ington soon after the election In November
of that year which resulted in the kiling
of several negroes and the wounding OF
some whites. That was the year in which
the red shirt originated.
The first red shirt worn was in Laurin-
burg In October, 1895. I.aurinburg is in
Richmond County. the largest ana wealth.
est in the State. Richmond borders on
South Carolina 1t mad suffered terribly
from negro rule, and a result the whites
were very much wrought up. Just VINO con-
ceived the red shirt ioea is not known. but
1t is generally believed THAI Judge Walter
Ii. Neale. a prominent lawyer OF that seq
ton. urst suggested ii.
At any rIte, there was a great parade.
which started from I.aurinburg during tnat
campaign. fuiiy so men. wearing red
shirts, were on horseback. They went out
about twenty Tlies in the country. passed
sawniilis wnere many negroes were en-
rioyei. rode around isolated caoins and
searched Tor every negro nut in the coun-
Try. No word was sponen, but the negroes
All understood what this meant.
"nen election day came they stayed
away from the polls.
Inc eXImp!e set by the Iaurinblifg whites
WAS .earneu OF ny the Democrats in various
other SECTIONS and the red shirt campa IN
Was auupteu IN dI OF the eastern anu cen-
tran pordons Of the State. Inc power NJ
the fIsloniSts was broken in that caEapaIgr
The democrats carried the Les Isiature 10y
an overwhelming MAJORITY. 1ney secured
most OF the State ana county oinces.
Governor Daniel l.. Russell was tne ieadsr
Of thc IusInnisIs in that campaign. ana ul.s
course MAS very objectionable to- the DEM
ocratS. There was talk at one time of Criy-
ing hus.-cl, out OF the state but wiser caun-
sea prevailed ana no harm done MN,
and ne IL still hilinS his position.
met in Raleigh The Democrats had enough
votes to pass any bill over the veto of the
Governor They at once went To work 10
prepare amendments to the Constitution To
submit to the people. with a view to elm
mating the negro vote.
The wiscst men among the Democrats
came to Raleigh TO assist in the preparation
OF this paper. Some favored the calling of |
IL Constitutional Convention. and this was |
Tor some time a m ,vement greatly favored |
by the pubic. but, after most careful con- |
sidsTaticn. IL was determined not to call a |
convention. but TO submit to the voters an !
amendment designed TO disfranciiise from, |
negro voters. The salient features of the |
proposed amendment are contained In sec
;iOn I. which reads.
Every person presenting himself for /
registration shall be able to read and write F,
any section Of the Constitution III the Eng /,
lish language. and before he shall be enti- |
tied to vote he shall have paid. or before |
the first day OF May of the year in which |
he proposes to vote. his poll tax OF the
previous year. as provided by article V,
section of the Constitution.
But nc male person who was. on jan
entitled TO vote under the laws of any
State in the United States. wherein he then
resided. and lineai descendant of any /
such person shall be denied the right 10
register and vote at any election in This
State by reason of his failure to possess the |
educational qualifications herein described"
A two years residence In North Carolina |
IL also required to prevent colonization"
The campaign opened early this year. The |
Democrats had Il great convention In which !
there We're 2.09 delegates. All were in favor !
Of the adoption of the amendment. Three
or four well-known politicians wanted 10
be Governor. but the unanimous choice of
the convention was Charles Il. Aycock of
Iioldsboro. He Is a man Of middle age, a
lawyer OF great reputation in that section |
and stump speaker almost the equal of
'Zeb' Vance.
Aycock wanted to succeed Marion Butler
In the United States Senate. but the people
thought he was the man to make the race |
for Governor. He has made one of the most !
remarkable campaigns in the history of !
North Carolina From the day of his norni-
IA ton he has been making speeches. He |
has gone into nearly every county. Great |
.FOwds have heard him on nearly every Oc- |
aston.
Aycock has discussed on the stump only |
me issue, and that is the disfranchising of |
he negro. At first he found many per- |
1ns in the Western or mountain regions |
# the State who were opposed TO the pro- |
yer. ignorant and unable to read or to |
write Aycock told them in plain terms !
hat the amendments proposed We're not (
designed to take from any white man his |
ote.
He firmly convinced them that this was a !
movement. pure and simple, TO disfranchse |
he negroes. After his canvass In the q.
Mountains, he went out to the cotton mills
where he found many operatives opposed |
o the proposed change on the same ground !
few days ago he made statement to the
feet that H. believed that every white
nan In North Carolina now fully UNDER ]
toed the amendments to be voted upon /
nd that IT would be adopted by at least
D 600 ma jority.
Marion Butler is the leader of the fusion !
orces opposed to these amendments but |
he Republicans and Populists are by no (