The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1900-06-07
PEOPLES PARTY PlArFoai


AdopzsH .Unanimeualy i.sCs.vs,tao,,.
April 18th. 1900.
The Peoples Party Convention
in Raleigh, April 18th,
reaffirms the principles set forth In
the Peoples Party National plat
form adopted at st. Louis In 1896,
and instructs the delegates to the
Convention at Sioux Falls
May 9Th to vote for the nomination
Of William ]. Bryan for President.
We commend the present State
Administration for its high Der
sonal and official integrity, and
a comparison of tn rec
ord with any and all Of its pfede-
cessors.
We condemn the Democratic Lexis-
lature of 1899 for its extravaGaat ex-
penditures Of public money Am ounting
to 81, 59a 1876 in 1899, as opposed to
81 ,283, 97.l1, expended by the preced-
ing Legislature, an excess Of $780,
1914. 65, not including the sum of $780,
OO0 for public education nor ths $50 $50
for purchase of State farms.
We further condemn said Legisla-
tnre for the careless laundering and
careless legislation, including more
Rross blunders and unconstitltional
laws than ever before enacted by any
General Assembly in North Carolina.
We further denouuce the machine
leaders of the Democratic party for
laying the whip on the backs Of the
Democratic Legislature and forcing
them into enacting and submitting q
constitutional amend.
ment in violation of the solemn
pledges Of the party. made not only
officially in their campaign handbook.
but by members of the General Assem-
bly, and other Democratic candidates
for Office in their canvass before the
people. We denOnnce them not only
for doing this in. violation of their
pledges, but also for submitting mea-
sure most odious in form and danger
BUS in effect. That General Assembly
being composed of, some of the best
lawyers of the party, must have
known. or at least had q reasonable
doubt. not only as to the unconstitu-
of the monstrous provision of
Section 5, known as the grandfather
;lanse" in said amendment, but also
II the great danger of that unconstitu-
-ional sectional section falling, leav-
ing the remainder of the amendment
20 stand, thus DISTINGUISHING by an ed
1catiOnal qualification Fifty or sixty
thousand white voters of North Caro-
ina, who in 1898 gave the Democratic
party power In the Legislature, and
whose ignorance is no fault of their
h.rf h - 10 f<< h. -
he Democratic party, which now seeks
o disfranchise them and make their
ignorance crime alongside that of
he felon.
But even if the proposed amendment
we're not unconstitutional Gas it clear
is), still it is especially objection
IDLE in the following particulars:
(a) In that it dignifies with the right
If suffrage the most vicious, trouble
'ome and obnoxious class of the negro
population, and completely disfran
,hises the most faithful. kindly and or
ierly element of that race.
(b) In that while clamorine for white
supremacy and declaring that no white
nan shall be disfranchised under this
they have so written their
that every white boy be-
coming of age after 1908 stands on the
'ame footing with the negro, and can
not vote unless he is able to read and
write.
(c) In that by the latter provision,
hey have made it possible for the ed
lcated negro after 1908 to cast his bal
OF while the unfortunate son of the
white men who have been the strength
If true democracy stands without
7ote at the ballot box. They slaughter
;he suffrage of the son whose father
hey dare not openly attack.
Gay In that this suffrage amend
nent does not remove the negro from
politics or settle the negro question in
North Carolina.
(e) In that every voter who has not
paid his poll tax as much as five
months before the State election and
eight months before the national cleo
ion, shall be disfranehised as much as
t he were convicted of felony or were
IN ignorant negro. The purpose of
his provision is not only to disfran-
,hise every good honest citizen who
cannot pay his taxes by
he first of March preceding the cleo
ion, but further to try to bribe the vo-
er to surrender his suffrage at the ex-
)ense of the public school fund of the
State, which is derived from poll taxes.
There turks behind this proposition a
till greater danger to the public
choOls of the State, for with the adop-
ion of the amendment the opponents
# free schools In North Carolina will
It once raise the cry that every dollar
aised for public instruction means the
Increase Of the number of negro vo-
ers, and thus the poor white mans
on will be chained in bondage of ig-
lorance and disfranchiscd to prevent
he education of the negro voter.
There is no white supremacy In this.
The constitutional question pre-
ented by the proposed amendment is
me that must be determined by the
Judgment and conscience of eac indi-
'ldual voter. Therefore, we do not
make it party question. We state the |
wills and dangers and leave the voters
II all parties to pass their verdict in
he light of these facts. The question
8 above party, and no one should be
more active and anxious in our judy
nent to defeat 1t than the rank and
lie of the Democratic party.
The Peoples Party is and has always
'oCH Hofo OlStihCtiy tudu any OG0ff
'arty in North Carolina a white mans |
'arty, and is more anxious than any
ther party to solve the race problem,
nd to force all parties to discussl on
# the great economic issues so vitality |
fecting the welfare of all wealth pro
!ucers of the State and nation and de-
eDcy in politics.
Therefore, we propose in lieu of this
dangerous amendment, the best soIu-
ion of the race question that is posi-
lie as long as the 10Th amendment to
he Constitution of the United States
tands-a solution which deprives no
white man in North Carolina now or
hereafter of his right of suffrage, to-
Wit:
Amend Section 6, Art. 6. of the Con-
of North Carolina by insert
ng among the disqualiications for
,ffice, enumerated therein, the follow
ng, viz: All negroes and all.persons
# negro descent to the third genera
ion inclusive. aIrg -
If the Democratic Legislature which
N oofs in Tuno will offo. tb,s ..fo -