The colored American., 1900-12-01
WHITE VOTERS ALARMED.
Negro Disfranchisement Found to Work
Injury-The Vote IN Mississippi and
W. Louisiana Falling Off Because White
Voters Will Not Pay Their Poll Tax.

awakened to the fact that they nave
overdone the disfrar cbisement OF vot-
ers by the suffrage limitations and quail
ifioations incorporated in their Consti
tuition. A marked reaction has set in
and the chances are that the suffrage
laws will be broadeped so as to bring
in voters instead of shutting them out,
IS the policy has been. As matter OF
fact, Mississippi at the election the 9th
er dsy adopted an Amendment to its
Constitution, which while it does not
affect the suffrage directly reaches 1t
indire city, and is in conflict with the
spirit Of its present Constitution. which
was framed especially for the disfran
chisement of the Negro voters. In
New Orleans, at q conference of the
demo cratic leaders, held on November
10, demsnd was made for modifica'
ton of the suffrage laws so as 10 en-
courage voting instead Of discouraging
it. 1t was practically the unanimous
opinion Of those present that the Louis
lana Suffrage law is Objectionable, that
it will cut the vote at future elections
down to sn absurd figure and that it
will prove injurious to the democracy.
The complaint against the suffrage
system IN Mississippi are due to the
discovery that while it was intended to
disfranchlse the Negroit is dlsfranchls
ing he " hite voters also and is placing
the control Of the State in the hands
of minority, to the great disadvantage
Of the property interests; and that 1t is
threatening the revenue Of the public
schools. The vote Of Mississippi for
Presi dent was SO, 103-Bryan, 51,70e;
Mckinley, 5,75S and Barker, 1,644
The vote for Congress, electing seven
Congressmen, was 81, ,239 or 7,177 to
Representative. This is smaller vote
than Mississippi cast in 1896; and
this is what the political leaders and
business men do not like-there is every
indication that the vote will continue
to decrease from election to election.
In fine, the law intended to disfran-
chise the Negro vote has come home to
roost and is disfrsnchising the white
voters also.
Iu both Mississippi and louisiana,
in order to vote, one must tie abe to
read and write and must have paid his
poll tax for two years previous 10 The
election. To vote in the Presidential
election the other day voter in Mis-
siss1ppi bad to present his poll tax re-
ceipt for S2 paid to the tax collector in
1898 and another poll tsx receipt for 81
for 1899 paid III that year. These pay
ments must be made two years before
the election, and must be by the voter
himself; for any one else or for any po'
liticsl organization to pay or fter to pay
a poll tax is misdemeanor.
1t was circulated, and rightly, that
this provision would hsve discourag.
ing effect upon the Negro voter who
because of his ability to read and write,
would otherwise be entitled to the suf
frsge. The Negro is by nature and en-
vironme MT careless and improvldent. To
ask him to pay Sd two years and one
year in advance Of an election, when |
he is not sure that he Will be on hand |
to vote, is to ask him to act contrary to |
all bis nature and instincts.
When the Louisiana Constitution was