The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-05-01
FROM PAGE 81

TO any OI1c6 any Wu6EG Ill CAS DCIoN'
from Governor down to justices OF
the peace, was a nominee of the party
which had charge of the election ma
chinery, and which advocated and
fastened this amendment to the Con
stitution upon the State, except two
sheriffs and three justices OF the
peace, and it further shows that only
77.45O votes were counted in the
State for all the candidates fer Gov
ernor, and that 6O,242 of these were
counted for the nominee Of the party
with the election machinery.
Now, if you will add the average
increase in males of voting age since
1890, estimated at 24%5, to the num-
Der, then you will find the present
male population of voting age to be 4;
whites, 162, 116 colored, 148, 575 to-
tai, 80, 691. From this total deduct
the votes counted in this election,
77,45O, and you find that 233, 900 Of
the male population of voting age
were not in evidence at this election.
Where were they? do you ask? The
only answer is, Ev~erlastingly buried
clear out of sight of LIBERTY, that
precious boon b~equeathed to US by
our forefathers, who, though ignO-
rant in book learning, knew the
value of liberty and purchased it for
us with their blood.
But" say the advocates of this
amendment, Eve intend only to get
rid of the negro voter. No white
man shall be deprived of his vote"
Why do they not add, "That is, IF
we are satisfied he will vote our
ticket" Now, then, if it is designed
to get rid of the negro only, if they
had set aside every negro voter in
Louisiana, in this election, the num-
Der could not have exceeded. .14S, 575
There are evidently some ne
grOes who could pass the
test, say 1879
This would leave negroes who
could not register. ..... 100, 900
These are all the disfranchised
negroes. But we find the
number of males of voting
age to be 30, 691 votes
counted, 7745O; difference, 233, 900
This leaves uncOunted in eX-
cess of disfranchised negrOes1O3 900
Thus we have a weIlestablished
conclusion that 1O3, 900 of the white
men of voting age in the State of
Louisiana were not counted in the
late returns. The DISTINGUISHED may
be stated, white 1913, 900, negroes $780,
600; total 233, 600. This is not far
from correct, and shows that for
every $50 negro voters who were dis
franchised 1O3 white voters had to
come down to their level and walk
out with them.
From these deductions I'VE can
draw some conclusions as to what
the result will be in North Carolina,
especially since the result in LOuisi-
ana is so nearly the same as they
have shown up in other States where
they have somewhat similar laws in
force, and with similar election ma
chinery which will do as much to
disfranchise voters as the amend
ment itself will or can do.
If we add 24o6 to the number of
men of voting age in North Carolina
in 189O-as we did for LOuisiana-we
find the number Of voting age in the
State now to be in round numbers,
white, 271, 900; negroes, 135 900; to-
tai, 4O6, 900. SuppOsing the same per
cent. of voters show up in North
Carolina that appeared in Louisiana
last election, then you will count a
few less than 102, 900 votes. Now de
duct the total vote you will count,
say 1O2, 900, from the number of men
of voting age-406, 900, and you will
find the number of DISTINGUISHED to
be 3O4, 900. We have found that
there cannot possibly be more than
1876, OOOnegrOes voters in North Caro-
lima, and that it is quite likely that
at least 10000 of these are qualified to
vote as per the proposed amendment.
This will leave 100000 negroes dis
franchised. Now subtract these 1O4,-
600 negroes from the total 3O4, 600
DISTINGUISHED voters, and you find
the number of disfranchised whites
will be 2OO, 1000. Thus we find that
in North Carolina the result will
bear heavier on the white race be-
cause we have a larger proportion of
whites than has Ouisiana, and while
in Louisiana they disfranchise 1O3