The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1900-02-01
(Raleigh POst.)


and divide the offices out among the
Republican and Populist leaders. To
enable them to do that they rely on
the strength of the negro voters.
The negroes are to be their stepping
stone to office. 1t was so in the
past, they hope it will be so in the
future.
Therefore Senator Butler and his
associates want the negroes to vote
and they want more negro voters,
not fewer.
Certainly then these men oppose
any measure that would lessen the
number of negro voters.
They are thus consistent in oppos-
ing the Constitutional amendment,
which, if adopted, will greatly cut
down the voting strength of the negro
race.
All this is so plain as to need no
discussion. They propose to fuse
with the negro party, and certainly
they want the negro party to be as
strong as possible so as to give them
all the support possible.
And they abhor any proposition
that will tend to deprive them of any
negro strength at the polls.
Therefore they abhor the proposed
Constitutional amendment
If they were as honest as they are
consistent, they would say plainly:
We oppose the amendment because it
will deprive US of negro strength at
the polls.
Instead of that, however. they pro-
pose to send out so, 900 copies of But
ler's letter to Wilcox, in which But
Ter argues against the amendment
because it does not deprive the town
negroes of the right to vote, but only
deprives the country negroes of the
right of suffrage.
The boot is exactly on the other
leg: their opposition is based on the
fact that it deprives any negro of
their right to the ballot, and not that
its operation is too limited. For their
purpose, the amendment is too broad
but they complain that it is not broad
enough.
Again, if they were honest they
would say: We depend on the negro
vote, and, therefore, must, to curry
favor with the negro leaders, advo-
cate that negroes should hold office
but instead of that Butler objects to
the amendment because he says it does
not deprive negroes of the right to
mold office. Their acts prove theil
dishonesty. For they oppose the
amendment only to TRY favor with
the negro, hoping, praying and beg
ging negro votes.
To this last end has the Populist
Executive Committee come. Their
descent from the high and lofty re-
solves which they proclaimed years
ago has been marvellous. Then the
proclaimed that they proposed to re-
form abuses and to deal with public
matters on high plane. Now they
cast anchor on the negro vote, and all
their hopes, aims, objects and pur-
poses are controlled by their political
association with the negro.
White men of North Carolina. YOU
see the milk in the cocoanut. TC
defeat the amendment is the saliva
ton OF the negro party, and the Popu.
list Executive Committee is to fuse
with that party, merge into it and
become part Of it. ANY one now
seeing the situation. will know what
value to attach to Buffers argument
in favor of the negro.
That Butler is a shrewd man is
evident from the fact that he has con,
trived to obtain a seat in the United
States Senate He is shrewd and
artful and full of lodges.
Now listen to him. He is so artfu
that he tries to defeat the amend
ment by persuading white men tc
help him. His purpose is to favor
the negro race. and he seeks to ac
complish that by the aid of the white
race.
The struggle in progress in Nortl
Carolina is to establish White Su
premacv, and Butler by an artfu
dodge expects to array white mer
against their race, and in favor of the
negro. TO do this he PLAYS upon
their fears, and he has such a poor
opinion of them that he thinks he car
make them tools to his purpose. W.
think the white men of North Caro-
lima will not be entrapped by his arti
fees.
The struggle in North Carolina i:
to secure White Supremacy. 70 tina
end the white Legislature has sub
mitted a proposition drawn up by
Jealous men. bent and determined OF
White Supremacy, and the only pur
pose of this amendment is to establish i
White Supremacy.
Butler and his associates in thei
hearts dread this amendment be
cause it will cut off their negro votes
but they have the audacity to sa,
/ that il will also cut off white votes
and they cry TO alarm white voter
BY pretending that the amendmen
will take away their rights.
In this they show that they hav
no reasonable opinion of the intel
ligence and good sense of the whit
men Of North Carolina.
The amendment contains two lead
ing ideas: First. that the qualifica
ton for suffrage shall be an educa
tional test. ability to read and write
Secand. that this test shall no
apply to any person who could vot
in 1867. or any time prior thereto, 0
who is descended from any man VIII
in 1867, or at any time before that
could vote.