Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-06-10
EIGHTEEN PAGES.
SUNDAY, JUNE 10. 1900.
STRANGE, MOST STRANGE.

Let us make the educational oun1io-
cation fair and just to all regardless OF
color. previous conditions OF what tho
progeritors of those concerned might
nave been.-ltoanoke Times
AS we have said many times wc be
neVe that In adopting n. suffrage utiali-
ncation Virginia and all the rest OF The
southern states should make the con-
oitlons apply horizontally. II IL white
man cannot read and write or rdnuot
1rord ocherShip Of two or thrcc haudycd
doHdrS icorM Of property, he ought not to
De permitted TO Vote.--Norfollo Land
mark.
With the question or an educational
qualification of the ballot for MI
classes alike, as purely acadcmic
proposition, we are not at all concern
ed: viewed as n measure practically
TO be applied in Virginia at this time.
1t is most interesting and suggestive.
The Virginian-P is not at all sur
priscd that 1t should thus be put for
ward: 1t anticipated that it would be
put forward: therefore. it contonded
most strongly. when the question OF
committing the Democratic party to the
calling of Il Constitutional Convention
was being discussed. that n pledge lie
given to submit the new or amended
constitution to II vote Of the people. Il
believed then, and is confirmed in that
opinion, that in no other way could the
suffrage rights of the unlettercd whites
of the state be safeguarded.
Our local morning contemporary may
have. as it says. often advocated the
horizontal application of suffrage quail
1ncations: we do not recall, however
that Its advocacy of such application
was particularly in evidence at tho time
when the question of calling n constl-
tutional convention was before the
people of Virginia; nor do we recall
that at that time the columns of our
Roanoke contemporary teomed with
remarks like that above quoted. II our
memory Is not Grievously mt fault, the
main thing then WAS TO be rid of a
"carpet-bag constitution" and the IN
cubus of the negro vote''-must worthy
glnia? Could any constitution dis
objects and quite foreign and remote
from any proposed horizontal eXclsiou
OF unlettered suffrassts.
That they are dealing "w tn condi-
ton. not Il theory"in this matter of the
suffrage and its proposed qualification.
we take 1T for granted our coutem-
poraries are fully aware. If the above
u;terances are not 10 he regarded as
harmless intellectual gymnastics like
discussion Of the probabWty that
friends shall recognize one another in
the hereafter-they are a trinc mys,i-
Tying. The Democratic party IS pledg-
ed to submit the work OF The Cons;I-
tutionai Convention 10 Il vote os tic
people; it is likewise pledged not To-
dlsfranchise the unlettered white vo-
tiers. How can any horizontal appIl-
ration Of suffrage qualifications be con-
Honant with the integrity and good
faith of the Democratic party la Nir-
ginia? Gould ony constitution dis
franchislng the uniettered whites COM
mand major " Of the popular vote Of
Virginia? 1t could not: it would have
50 be put in force without submission
to the people.
There can be no disfranchiscment OF
whites in this State unless the consl.i-
tutional convention shall repudiate a
double pledge by which its Democratic
members Will be bound under the de-
claration of their party That such
perfidy should be contemplated with
equiminity in any quarter is amazing
in the extreme. 1t would mean there
nfter that the name Democrat" would
be hy-word ON the lps and n stencil
IN the nostrils of honorable men In Vir-
glria. Can it be that there are those
who would have this come to pass.
that forsooth we may have two even
ly balanced parties in this State? one
Of the main arguments urged for the
distranehisegnent Of the negro has been