The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-01-31

GRANDFATHER CLAUSE
BUTLER. PRITCHARD q cos Ar
GUNIENT AGAINST IT.
EASY WAY TO COMPLETELY SILENCE THEM
The Legislature Can Add Sixth Section De-
cIaring That the Act Shall be Invalid
Unless It Stands as Whole,
Save tho btdra
Says the Judge.


Wilmington, y. c.. Jan. 30.-tSpecial)
Judge George II. Brown, recognized
as one of the ablest judges and one OF
the most far-sightcd public men in INC
State. is here holding court fer lie
first time in six years. The STAR tbs
morning publishes n conversation be-
tween the editor Of the Star and Jucgc
Brown on the Constitutional Amend
ment Judge Brown is quoted as making
an important suggestion with refe:chc.
TO the Constitutional Amendment. In
substance he said:
1T goes without saying that am heart
lily in favor Of the amendment. | preferred
a Constitutional Convention and l still
think it the part OF wisdom TO have
called one. 1t is useles To discuss the
constitutionality Of the amendment ~
a whole. 1t is the deliberate act Of lie
General Assembly passed after mature
consideration. We must assume that II
is constitutional and make our fight upon
its imperative necessity. The stump is
not very good forum from which 10
make constitutional arguments.
There is only one real ground If AT
tack by which our opponents hope 70 de
feat the amendment. ! gather this II IA
Pritchard's and Buffers utterances.
That is 10 the effect that Section ;. The
so-called grandfather clause Will he &c
clared unconstitutional and Section I,
containing all the restrictions and I'm
tations upon the right to vote, will be
left standing alone. | see the talented
young Congressman kitchin has pub
lished a very fine legal argument COM
batting Pritchard'S and Buffers lyosi-
ton. Every candid and we'll Informed
lawyer is convinced that the ameaAmanr
will stand or fall as Il whole. bat ! ain
not so sure that we can make that 50
plain to the thousands of gooi, hones1
white citizens who are not lawyers. They
cannot so readily comprehend the fG-~A
Of legal arguments. We do not propoS.
10 disfranchise any white citizen. vino
is not convict, If we know it. We car
put that question beyond all doubt anG
we should do it, The people can then
see that we are sincere
When the Legislature meets in adj
iourned session in June. let bill be a;
once passed amending the present Con
stitutional Amendment bin now before
the people by adding another section TO
this effect:
"Sec. &. This act shall be
strued and taken SIS a whole, and
If any of its clauses, sections aud
provisions shall for any reason be-
come or be declared imperative and
invalid, the whole of this anenc-
ment and every part and section
thereof shall become null and vrif
and of no effect
This method of convincing the pvp
pie of our real purpose will be far more.
potent than legal arguments. 1t will be
a knock down argument, and Butitr
Pritchard q Co. can say nothing more.
I'VE ought not to be deferred from
doing this because Butler & Co., viii
claim that they forced us to do it, That
is false pride. Our position is already
taken. that the amendment will stand
or fall as whole. Therefore, it is rigli
and manly that we put it i'll the bill 30
the matter will be beyond dispute
This course will silence the heayi.s,
guns of our enemy. and will allay lht
fears Of many honest but illiterate whit