The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-05-10


IF it be true that the negro was invest
ed with the right Of suffrage as punish
ment upon the South by victorious over
bearing North--if this cruel thing done
while the passions Of the war were still
prevailing, was done not from any sense
OF right and justice to the negro, or of
the belief in his capacity for the intelli-
gent exercise of the suffrage but as
punishment upon the Southern people for
the falsely alleged crime of treason and
rebellion more than 80 years ago, what
justification can possibly be found for
longer continuance of the punishment in
view OF the changes that have since Oc-
Cured in the history OF the country
With a patience little less than mracul-
Gus. and a fortitude unparalleled, and
fidelity to their obligations unsurpassed,
the Southern people have emerged from
the Jungle of horrors into which this act
drove them with hearts still united with
spirits still unbent, with the light of
triumph in their faces and the goal of
wealth and power in full view.
whether their Northern countrymen
are willing to leave this blot upon the
Constitution or not is question for
themselves, but it is, and, If it remains
there will continue to be d vain memorial
of their own shame. Unrestricted negro
suffrage in the South is ended, as it ought
to be.
unrestricted negro suffrage in the
Southern States, if the right be fully ana
freely exercised, means the most ignor-
ant, corrupt and evil government ever
known in a free, social security Where IL
prevails Amongst white men, political
party ascendencies is never utilized TO
affect social order. Social disorder in
varably follows negro political ascen-
dency The negro has had nearly 40
years of freedom and citizenship, and op-
portunity for education, and yet, with
many honorable exceptions, he is quite
as incapable of understanding the mean
ing Of true liberty and Of intelligently
exercising political rights as he was when
first emancipated. The Southern people,
amidst all the calamities that have be-
fallen them. have expended about $780,
900, 900 for the education of the negroes
since the year 1870, and yet. with every
succeeding year, they have become, as a
race, less fitted for the duties of citizen
ship and more and more menace to
civilization and good government. These
are not wild and exaggerated statements,
but facts capable of proof.
Il unhestatingly say that unrestricted
negro suffrage is disastrous to good gov
eminent, and to the peace and welfare
Of society, and go farther and denounce
the legislation which accomplished it as
the greatest political crime that has been
perpetrated in the history of this coun-
trv. It has been. and will continue to
JN1c pr1,i nh
are of themselves necessarily injurious
and demoralizing, and therefore, 1t Is
doubly disastrous. The true remedy for
it is to be found in the repeal or modiflca-
ton of the Fifteenth Amendment. | know
that this suggestion will be regarded by
most persons as one the realization of
which is beyond reasonable hope, but
there can be little doubt that the minds
of the country, North and South, espe-
cially since the acquisition of Hawaii,
Porto Rico and the Philippines, is in a
| more favorable condition to consider such
a proposition than ever before. The re-
peal of the Amendment would not neces-
! sarily mean the total disfranchisement or
the negro. The question of suffrage
would be RENTED TO the States where 1t
rightfully belongs. And | verify DelleVe
that the good people of the South would
j eventually accord to the better class OF
negroes the right to vote. They, as you
well know, cherish no ill will toward the
negroes. On the contrary, the only
hone he has is based under the foundation
laid in the days of slavery, and this foun-
dation he has been ignorantly undermln-
ing at the instigation of the only real
enemies he has in the world. For his
own sake as much as for the white man S
il is earnestly desired that the process
shall cease and the kindly relations be-
tween the races shall be re-established.
The troubles that have afflicted the South
in this respect, except in the rarest IN
stances, have not originated or been en-
couraged by the old heads among them,
who remember the past and deplore the
present But those kindly relations can
never be restored while unrestricted ne
gro suffrage continues and is exercised
"How shall it be restricted? Fraud and
shotguns have no place in this argument.
! Legal methods only, and such as Will be
Just because they will best conserve the
/ commonwealth, are to be considered.
Mr.. Waddel spoke of the North Caro-
lima proposed Constitutional Amendment
saving that, if adopted, there viii be
about $4,000 negro voters in the state
Probably 10000 negroes viii be disfran-
chised 1t is substantially the same as
the Louisiana Amendment. 1t disfran-
chises no white man, educated or litter
ate. who registers as voter before De-
cember 1st, 1908, but applies an educa-
ticnal test after that date. 1t disfran-
chises every negro who cannot read and
write any section Of the Constitution eX-
cent such as are descended from the old
free negroes who voted prior to 1888, IN
North Carolina, or such as have come into
the State from other States where ne
eroes could vote prior to 1867.
at has been charged that the amend
ment contains property qualification, but
this is mistake
''Of course the object OF the Amend
ment is to eliminate the ignorant negro
vote and assure the supremacy OF the
whites. This is honestly believed by the
| hest citizens of the State TO be the only
! way in which they can preserve their
heritage and escape repetition of their
recent experience.
There is surely a necessity for this
! kind of legislation, and there is no wrong
i or Injustice in it. The Southern people
are forced to resort to it, If they would