The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1900-07-12


then, the registrar answers you can't
vote, and there are $4,000 more ne
groes in North Carolina in the same
fix.
but then Senator Pritchard OBJ
jects to the poll tax because he is
afraid some old Confederate soldier
will be deprived of his vote. When l
heard that l was afraid. But then l
thought and calculated little bit. l
remembered that it has been S5 years
since the war closed, and boy that
was II at the end of the war would
be so now. North Carolina does not
compel any one SO years old to pay
poll tax, SO that objection does not
stand. If a man is too poor to pay
his tax, the county commissioners
have the power to excuse him and
this excuse serves every purpose of a
receipt. II man is able to pay his
poll tax it is nothing but right that
he should pay it. A bird that can
sing and won't sing ought to be made
to sing. A man that is able to pay
his poll tax and will not pay it ought
not to be allowed to vote.
"But some cry against the injustice
of having the boy that is now under
13 years Of age, to learn to read and
write before he can vote. Is there
any crime in telling boy that he
ought to go to school when the school
house is put right at his door? This
is an age that demands education
During my four years l shall spend
my time in trying to create an educa-
tional sentiment in our people. I
would put it in the power of the poor
boy to come into competition with the
wealthy and the educated. l want to
let him read from the book of knowl-
edge. stand for the opening of the
Bible to every boy in the land. I call
on ministers of the Gospel and
mothers to work for, and every white
man to vote for the amendment SO
that education may be abroad in the
land. Then the age of demagogery
will be at an end. The hour is come
and now is, when the power and
strength of the country is in the edu-
cation of the youth of the land.
But the Republican says he could
stand the amendment but the election
law is wrong. Senator Pritchard says
he does not like that provision that
requires. you to prove your age and
identity by two witnesses. Senator
Pritchard in a speech in the Senate
said, Il do not believe you Senators
could do that The law does not
mean that you must prove your age
to the minute. l could swear Senator
Pritchard is twenty one and also that
he is Senator Pritchard, although I
hope l shall not have to do that much
longer. 1t is the negro down East
the law is meant to catch. What we
want to do is to eliminate the 18-year-
old and dead negroes, and after 1902
we are not going to let many of the
21 year old ones vote. There is no
trouble about the election law. Every
white man shall be secure in his right
to vote.
with the negro eliminated we can
hold great economic debates on vital
questions, and in the clash of intel
lect raise great men. In that day the
school house shall be opened all over
over the land and every boy shall
have his education. 1t will be a day
of great agricultural, industrial and
educational development. Then no
longer will the blood rise and flush
the cheek of the white Republican
when he is accused of belonging to the
negro party.
II come in the name of the woman
hood of Eastern North Carolina to
plead with you Western men. This
State has queen in every household,
and in the name Of these queens
come and ask for your help. l ask
for peace, for we shall rulc-bv all
the strength that is in us, the white
man must rule. The negro has moth
ing to fear. We shall treat him with
justice. The wages Of the negro shall
not be withheld, but he must not
rule.
Il have spoken deeply, because l
feel deeply. The cause l have spoken
for is worthy cause to work for, a
cause to live for, cause to fight for,
a cause to die for"