The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-01-24

men who were not voters IN LOUISIANA
or any one of the States of the l mon
in 1867 or prior thereto
II has been held by the supreme
Court Of the United States that me
Constitution of the United states mas
moi conferred the right OF >ufr1ge upon
anyone. and that the United states mas
M voters of their own creation III the
States t21 Wall. lis: United States
vs. Cruikshank ct al. 90 [. =. o42l. In
the latter case it was said by dhe court,
after having quoted from United States
vs.. Reese et al. % L. s.. pa:
From this il appears that the right
of suffrage is not necessary attribute
of national citizenship; but that eXemp-
tion from discrimination in the exercise
Of that right on account OF race. enc.
* but If must be expressly ayerred
I-uitcd States vs.. Cruikshank. 81 [. >.
542).
4 BLOW At IGNORANCE.
The fact IS. that all negroes who can
read and write. and who have the quall-
fcations of residence. are III the electo-
rate. and all will be when they acquire
these qualifications From this II VIII
ap,ear that the article was striking AT
ignorance among both white and colored,
and not at the negro race.
The word white" which would show
discrimination on account OF color'
etc. is not in the article regulating the
suffrage. Affirmatively it conferS the
right to vote on the negro. ZEN parte
Marlborough. 40 L. s., GOD.
The right to vote in the State comes
from the State; but the right of eX-
emption from the prohibited discrlmlna-
ton comes from the United States. Inc
first has not been granted or secured
hy the Constitution of the lnHed states
hut the latter has been. The provisions
in the constitution of Louisiana in regu-
lating the suffrage do not express any
discrimination on account of race. color,
or previous condition Of servitude. 1T IS
not enough 10 infer or suspect that the
suffrage article in the Constitution dis
eliminates. In Mcpherson vs.. Blackcr
11O l.. s.. page II it was said. review
inc both the fourteenth and the fifteenth
amendments:
The right to vote intended to be pro-
teoted refers 70 the right to vote As es-
tablished by the laws and constitution
of the State. There is no color for
the contention that under the amend
ment every male inhabit2nt of the State.
being a citizen of the United States. has,
from the time of his majority. right
to vote for Presidential electors.
The State therefore having the eXclu-
sive power To say who shall be electors,
has the right to discriminate between
its citizens as to capacity for electoral
rights. provided il makes no dlscrmlna-
ton on account of race. color or pre-
viouS condition of servitude. tNllllams
vs.. Mississippi. 10 L. s. uage 213).
The State has the exclusive right or
prescribing qualifications for the voter.
Ii has prescribed them. and every negro
in the State can vote if he his these
qualifications which in the general law
are common TO him and the white man.
In the State of Louisiana the negroes
who can not read and write are those
who were slaves. They are fast passing
away. leaving a generation behind them
who can read and write, and who have
learned to do 80 i'll the schools established
for colored people by te State of Louis
lana. The election law of Louisiana
is of the Australian kind. and every vo-
ter can now have his vote counted and
ar expression of his will enforced. There
negroes can register and vote without
interference.
The State of Louisiana has done a
great deal for the negro. 1t has eleva-
ted him morally and intellectually. He
rays no taxes of any amount. Yet the
people of that State cheerfully ana
generously contribute for his schools
AMI lis churches. Schools are in every
neighborhood. The State has organized
n prosperous university. where there
is industrial training and facilities for
higher education. As the negro will
NOT patronize school where white
teachers are provided. ii normal school
has been provided to educate their
teachers. Besides the university estab-
lished and supported by the State, there
are several colleges of high order With
able faculties.
NEGRO RULE MEANT RUIN.
HAD THE NEGRO CONTINUED
IN POWER. THE STATE WOULD
HAVE BEEN ONE VAST SEA OF
DESOI4ATION: VALUES OF ALL
KINDS WOULD HAVE BEEN DE
STROYED. FIELDS UNCTLTIyA-
TED. IMPROVEMENTS OF ALL
MINDS lyG4l<4N IItb. loNilN'o1stN
WOULD HAVE BEEN CLOSED.
AND HE. THE TOOL OF UNSCRC-
PULOUS ADVENTURES. WOULD
RE NOW SUNK IN MORAL DEG
RADIATION AND MENTAL DARK
NESS.
The people of the South awaited them
selves of the first opportunity. after the
white people gained the ascendency. to
rebuild their shattered fortunes. In 1870
there were 4.352.31 bales of cotton. with
All aggregate value of 1926, 032 0G5: in
1900. 6,60J. 100 bales. of an aggregate
value of S344 .l55 800: in 1890. S,6o2. 597.
worth 1869, rs. 1S102: in 1898, 11.119.-
994 bales, worth S243 .399.65S. but be-
cause Of the low price of cotton4Kla
cents PER rprnd-tnis enormous increase
WIS worth $100002, 300 less than the
crop of 1890. From 1870 TO 1890 the
population Of the South increased 100
per cent. From 1880 to 1890 the South
made an advance OF 81 per cent in farm
products as against gain of 20 per
cent for all the rest of the country
The total value of farms for the South
in 1880 was $500 100000: for the rest of
the country it was 81 800 100000. In
1890 the South had gained S10T 900, 600.
or Ii per cent. while the rest of the
country had gained only Sal. 1000 900, or
n