The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-04-22
POPULISTS FAVOR AMENDMENT.
Progressive Farmer.
ADVOCATES THE AMENDMENT.

ADVOCATES THE AMENDMENT.
Editors Progressive Farmer: Il am
very deeply interested in the success
of the effort to secure limited sut-
frage to the negroes in North Caro-
lima, by the adoption of the proposed
Constitutional Amendment. am fui-
~ persuaded it would prove a great
blessing to the State of North Caro-
lima. to all of its citizens, including
the negroes.
| have been sojourning in South
Carolina. my native State, for about
two months. and see the great oeneht
to all classes of its people, negroes IN
Guided, from the practical retirement
of the negro from political influence
and power. This was virtually done
by the great revolution in 1876, which
wrested the power from the negroes
and their leaders. and vested it in the
white people. For some time the
whites retained the political power by
the entire control of the election ma
chinery. The management of the cleo
ton was entirely in the hands Of the
Democratic party. The law required
that there should be a separate box
for the reception of each vote for q
candidate for any particular office.
Each box was to be marked for Gov
ernor, observation-disclosures for Sena-
tor, for members of the House, and
the law provided that in any case If
the ballot was not deposited i'll the
right box it was invalidated 1t also
provided that each voter should de-
post his ballot in person. with no one
near him. AS result illiterate per-
sons could not vote, unless the mana
gers of the election chose to give in
formation as to the right box in
which to deposit each ballot. AS a
result illiterate voters whose votes
were not desired were practically de-
barred from voting. There were grave
objections to this system, and many
thought that it was unwise to hazard
its continuance in case of division
among the whites. To fully secure
the victory that had wrested the pow
er from the ignorant and incompetent
negroes and their self-seeking leaders.
the amendment to the Constitution,
which | give below, was adopted.
RIGHT OF SUFFRAGE.
"Section I. All elections by the
people shall be by ballot, and elections
shall never be held or the ballots
counted in secret.
Sec. II. Every qualified elector shall
be eligible to any office to be voted
for, unless disqualified by age, as pre-
scribed in this Constitution. But no
person shall hold two Offices of honor
or profit at the same time. Provided,
That any person holding another Of
fee at the same time be an officer in
the militia or notary public.
Sec. III. Every male citizen of this
State and of the United States 81
years of age and upwards, not labor
ing under the disabilities named in
this Constitution and possessing the
qualifications required by it, shall be
an elector
Sec. ~. The qualifications for suf-
frage shall be as follows:
(a) Residence in the State for two
years, in the county one year; in the
polling precinct in which the elector
offers to vote four months, and the
payment six months before any cleo
ton of any poll tax then due and
payable. Provided: That ministers in
charge of an organized church and
teachers of public schools shall be en-
titled to vote after six months resi-
dence in the State, otherwise qualified.
(b) Registration. which shall pro-
vide for the enrolment of every cleo
tor once in ten years. and also an en-
rollment during each and every year
of every electOr not previously regis
tered under the provisions of this ar
tlcle.
(c) Up to January 1st, 1898. all male
persons of voting age applying for
registration who can read any section
of this Constitution submitted to him
" the registration officer, or under
stand and explain it when read to
them by me registration officer, shall
be entitled to register and become
electors.
A separate record of all persons
registered before January LIST, 1898.
sworn to by the registration officer.
shall be filed, one copy sent the Clerk
of Court and one in the Office Of the
Secretary of State on or before Feb
ruary LIST. 1898, and such persons shall
remain during life qualified electors
unless disqualified by the other pro-
visions of this article. The certifi-
cate of the Clerk of Court or Secretary
Of State shall be sufficient evidence
to establish the right of said citizens
to any subsequent registration and
the franchise under the limitations
herein imposed.
(dJ Any person who shall apply for
registration after January 1st, 1898,
if otherwise qualified shall be register
ed Provided: That he can both read
and write any section of this Consti-
tuition submitted to him by the regis
tration officer or can show that he
owns and has paid all taxes collectible
during the previous year on property
in this State assessed at three hun