The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-02-02
DECLARING ITS UNITY
AND so STOPPING THE MONTHS
OF RADICAL DEMAGOGUES.
DISCUSSED BY DEMOCRATIC LEADERS
For Several Months Past. Mr.. Simmons Says
the Intent of the Amendment is Plain But
New Section viii Make Miscon-
strtIction Imnossble,
struction impossible.

chairman simmons, VINO mas just re-
turned to the city from Newbern, was
'seen last night by a reporter and asked
what he thought Of Judge Browns sug.
gestion with reference to a change in the
Amendment, at the adjourned session
of the Legislature in June.
1.-THE essential object of the Amend
ment," said Mr.. Simmons, SIS to take
the ballot from the hands of the ignor.
ant negro, and at the same time forever
secure and protect the uneducated white
man in his right to vote. There must
not be, and there will not be any modi-
fication in the Amendment which could
change in the slightest particular this
main and essential purpose On the 9th.
er hand, and for the same reason, any
change which will more effectually ac-
complish and secure this purpose will
be not only unobjectionable, but wise. y
Continuing, Mr.. Simmons said, Judge
Browns suggestion is not new idea
at all. The subject of consolidating the
4th and 9th sections of the Amend
ment and adding words which will ex-
press the well known legislative intent
that all the Amendment shall stand or
fall together so as to leave nothing to
construction, had been the subject of
discussion among Democrats for the last
two months. Indeed, ever since the
opponents of the Amendment began their
demagogical attempt to deceive and scare
the uneducated white voters by telling
them that the 9Th section would be
stricken from the Amendment without
carrying with it the 4th secion."
The chairman said he had personally
discussed this subject from time to time
during the past two months with many
prominent Democrats throughout the
State with leading members of the
press and with many members of the
State executive committee and of both
branches of the Legislature. Among the
members of the Legislature with whom
he had discussed it he mentioned Judge
Cornor, Speaker of the House; Senator
NJ. III. Justice, president protein Of the
Senate; Messrs. Walter u. Moore, f..
ID. Winston, Herriott Clarkson, Judge
Allen, Jas. A. Bryan and + Il. Osborne.
He also said that about two weeks ago,
at Lenoir court, he had discussed it with
JUGS brown, ard that it was the opin-
OF every one with wnom he had talk
ed upon the subject that while the con-
tent of the Amendment made it clear
that it was the intent of the Legislature
that the 4th and 9th sections were con-
ditioned the one upon the other, and
that the one would not have been adopt
ed without the other, and hence the
courts would have to sustain both or
neither, yet, as the opponents of the
Amendment were by Misrepresentation,
trying to divert the minds of the people
from the real issue, and raise ground
less doubts and fears in the minds of the
uneducated white voters, it would be
proper and wise to absolutely remove all
such doubts and fears, and answer all
such demagogical attempts to deceive
and mislead, by writing in the Amend
ment the manifest intent of the Legisla.
ture that the 4th and oh sections should
stand or fall together.
II am satisfied said Mr.. Simmons
from the unaniniity of opinion on this
subject, expressed by every Democrat
and member of the Legislature with
whom i have talked, that the Democratic
State Convention, when it meets il
April, will request the Legislature at its
adjourned session in June to add to the
Amendment such words as will remove
all possible doubt, if any exists, in the
mind of any one on this subject, and tina
the change will be made by the Legisla
ture, when it meets in June, by a prac
tically unanimous vote on the part of the
Democrats. OF course" he said, 81
cannot say what will be the course Oh
the Republican and Populist member:
the Legislature with reference to this
proposed change, but ] suppose thai
Populist members will vote for it be
cause they voted for the Amendment
when it was submitted; and if the Re
publicans do not vote for it it will show
c0nclusively that all of their clamol
upon this subject is a subterfuge and s
fraud"
Mr.. Simmons added. ''There is ne
legal necessity for any such change be
cause, as / said before, the content OF
the Amendment shows that these two
sections are insepaarbly linked together
as one single scheme of suffrage, and un
doubtedly the courts would have to sc
hold. But we are willing to remove
every possible doubt or suspicion of 8
doubt or suggestion of a doubt from the
mind of every white man. 1t is the fix
ed purpose of the Democratic party that
no white man, however poor or unletter
ed he may be, shall under any circum
stances whatever lose his vote, and we
wish to make this purpose so plain that
the enemies Of the Amendment will not
be able, by misrepresentation, to muddy
the ISSUE