The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-04-22

Editors Progressive Farmer: Some
time since l was interviewed by a re-
porter for the Charlotte News and to
him l said that l expected to support
the amendment, etc. His report was
practically correct. | now propose to
give you the same, with little more
of the same sort, as | take it.
While / realize that your paper is
not partisan, let me say this: [ do
not feel that this matter is a Populist
affair, and our concern with it is to
make the most out of it we can for
the best interest of the people of
not to make any material difference
with Populists, what political party
il helps or hurts. / am willing to
sink any political party with it, if
by so doing | could do a great good
for the people of North Carolina.
The negro-of course there are a
few individual exceptions-is and has
always been an incompetent voter.
At the close of the war he was in
his best state. as Il citizen. Under the
compulsory training and discipline of
slavery for five or six generations, he
had become something of citizen
from habit, not from his nature or
race instinct. During this servitude
he had the best possible advantages
for proper training as to good citi-
zenship. ETC., and was compelled to
make proper use of these advantages,
thereby becoming, to an extent, inn
bued with proper notions and ideas
of manhood, patriotism, religion, NOR
atty, etc.
Since his freedom all these helps
have to great degree receded beyond
his reach. as he is left out from the
direct influences flowing directly
from the personal interest of the
former master.
The natural bent, the racial ten
dency, of the negro is backward-to
slavery, cannibalism. etc, and with
out closest restraints, as slavery ne
cessarily threw around, he easily and
surely glides back into the old racial
nature, Il state that the Caucasian can
not tolerate.
/ believe the establishment of this
amendment will do all parties good.
/ mean all parties that are wanting
good. Heretofore, and as long as the
negro is in the way with his deadly
club (ballot), it has been the main
work of the white people to fight him
and keep down the depreciation which
would obtain in the land If he were
not restrained. Now, if he is dis
armed, we can turn our attention to
something real and profitable. In his
ignorance and recklessness. the ne
gro cannot be trusted at any time
with means to harm any interest.
He is always ready, for a trifing bride,
to throw his force or power where
ever the bride or premium would die
tate, consequently we will always
find him on the side of the destroyer
of the country's prosperity-on the
side of those who are living and fat
tening by vicious egislation-robbing
and defrluding the common masses
of what is honestly theirs. We can
afford to give the force of one friend
(if need be by yielding the grand
daddy clause) for the scalps of five
to ten enemies. If | could accomplish
so much for my country | would
cheerfully yield the privilege of my
ballot, and | think any other sane
man ought.
The franchise of the negro has new
er been of profit to him. He ought
to know this HIMSELF he cannot show
wherein it has ever helped or added
to his racial prosperity one mite. 1t
has been to him a delusion and a
snare.
Contracting the franchise of coun-
try would at any time be dangerous
if this contraction We're indiscrimin-
ate But this is not the proposition.
On the very face of this amendment
it only proposes to eliminate the dan
gerous, vicious. politically worthless
element. To illustrate: If you have
a barrel of potatoes, a part of which
are rotten. no one can be hurt by
ane ones throwing out the worthless
or rotten ones. If your own ranks
are somewhat depleted, your enemy
is to II great extent demolished. Con-
sequently no harm is done your abili-
ty to cope with the common enemy.
| do not like the present election
law, and many other things political
ly considered. but | see only good in
this constitutional amendment move.
/ think with this trouble off hand, the
white people of the State will compel
the breeders of mischief to quit their
wrong DONG TO Il degree ana allow the
real friends of good government to
get in some work.
AS to the constitutionality of the
amendment, that is for Congress and
the courts. But I do not disfranchise
on account of color. previous condition
of servitude, etc. Except it was in
Africa centuries ago. but on account
of what he now is, a menace to well
fare of country.
w. P. CRAVEN.
Mecklenburg County, n. c.