The gold leaf., 1900-06-21
HOW THEY MISREPRESENT.
A Sample of Republican Methods In
North Carolina.

The Republicans have been circu-
lating printed circular claiming
that, in his inaugural address. Gov.
Heard. of Louisiana, made n state
ment to the effect that the new Con-
stitutional amendment OF that State
disfranchised illiterate white men as
well as ignorant negroes. Hon. +. NJ.
Simmons, Chairman of the Demo-
cratic Executive committee, sent a
copy of that campaign circular to
Gov. Heard asking if he meant by his
inaugural address to imply that any
white men had been disfranchised,
and also what had been the effect OF
the amendment in his State as to un-
educated white voters. This answer
was received yesterday and is as fol-
lows:
STATE OF LOUISIANA, EX. DEPT
BATON ROUGE, June 9, 1900.
Hon. f. NJ. Simmons, Chairman Demo-
cratic State Executive Committee,
Raleigh, N. c.:
DEAR SIR.-Your letter of the 9th
instant received, with enclosed print
ed circular, giving extracts from my
inaugural address.
The conclusions drawn from these
extracts by the publisher Of this cir
cular are not warranted, and the
statement contained in the circular
to the effect that the Democratic
party had deprived any white people
in Louisiana Of their right OF suffrage
is not true. Under the new Constitu-
tion Of Louisiana, adopted in 1898,
there is an educational or property
qualification required. This educa-
tional qualification is that ..he shall
be able to read and write" and a sim
pie test of this is required in the
shape OF blank form Of application
to be filled out by the applicant. II
the citizen cannot read and write,
but is possessed OF $500 worth OF
property assessed for taxes, he is
thereby qualified. But our Constitu-
tion went further and provided that
no male person who was, on January
lst. 1867. or at any prior date, en-
titled to vote in any State of the
United States, and the sons aud the
grandsons of any such person, should
be denied the right to vote because
he had not the educational or prop
erty qualification. This provision.
which became known as "Section ""
opened the door to practically every
white man in the State, whether rich
or poor, educated or illiterate. 1t
was furthermore provided that those
claiming the right OF suffrage under
this section should have the privilege
OF going on PERMANENT REGIS
TRATION ROLL, to be put on record
in the office OF the Secretary OF State,
so that no registration officer or other
official could ever deprive them OF
their right to vote.
The reference to the beneficial ef-
fects of the suffrage mentioned in my
inaugural address was in general
terms, and considered from a general
standpoint the vast improvement in
the electorate OF the State since the
elimination Of the large mass Of ne
gro voters. Our people are, of course,
all familiar with our suffrage and
election laws, and it was not neces
sary to 90 into details on such an oc'
casiOn.
regret that any one outside oI
Louisiana should have used nv re-.
mark to misreprescnt the action OF
the Democratic party OF my State,
which has ever been the true friend
OF all classes OF white people within
her borders.
Very respectfully,
W. w HEARD.
The following letter is self-explana
tory:
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,,
WAsHiNGTON, June 4, 1909. !
We, the undersigned. members o
Congress from the State Of Louisiana
/ state that the suffrage amendment t
the Constitution OF Louisiana is Civ
! ing great satisfaction to the people o
the State. There is no longer an,
question being made as to its Con
stitutionality, and that while it ha
eliminated the ignorant negro vote
! it has not disfranchised the unedu
Gated native born white man.
ADOLPH MEYER,
JAS. f. RANsDELL,
PHASoREs BREAREALE,
ROBERT c. DAvERY.