The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-04-24
WHITES ARE ALRIGHT
But Few Negroes Vote Under
the Louisiana Law.
Mr.. Hardy, of Louisiana, Says He Has Never
Heard Suggestion That the Suffrage
Law Was Unconstitutional.

'.There are twice as many negroes IN
nv town. LIE Comte, Louisiana, as whlte
men. but at the election out of 1870 votes
cast 17S were cast by white men. Only
two negroes voted.
Thus spoke Mr. Chas l.. Hardy, OF
Louiriana, who is visiting his COUSIN MI.
II. B. Hardy, in this city. Mr.. HARDY Is
a native of Northampton county, n. T.,
but has bene living in Louisiana lor
twenty years or so. He has prospered III
his far Southern home but his heart turns
back to the scenes of his boyhood and he
is contemplating returning to this state
one of these days. Speaking OF the poiltl-
cal conditions in Louisiana, Mr.. Hardy
said
I'VE have had no trouble in Louisiana
since 1876 That was the year OF Sucn
violence and danger as men who lived
in will never forget 1t taught the white
people a lesson they have not since for
gotten. While we read of race troubles
and negro officehoding in other States,
we have known nothing about it in our
State since that memorable year. Few
negroes vote with us. They do not care
to vote and do not try. They know that
the whites intend to control, and they
wisely accept the condition of white gov
ernlment, turning their attention to other
matters. Though they are in a large ma
jority in my place, there is never the
slightest friction in politics. They never
go about the polls, but on election day
work as usual. They say to each other
If we vote, the white men will not count
our votes, and so what's the use of going
through the form of going to the cleo
tion? and they act upon that idea.
''The Constitutional Amendment re-
Gently adopted in Louisiana gives the bal
lot to every native born white man in the
State who registers, whether he can read
and write or not, but no negro can vote
unless he owns $500 worth of property or
can read and write. In North Carolina,
| understand, that you have copied our
amendment except that you have left
out the property qualification"
Speaking of the fact that out of Is 900
negro voters in New Orleans, only 800
can now vote under the new constitution,
Mr.. Hardy said that in the country dis
tricts the proportion of negroes who can
vote is smaller than in the city of New
Orleans. In fact. the negroes do not care
anything about voting, said Mr.. Hardy.
THE big fights with u.s." continued Mr..
Hardy, ARE in the primaries. After the
nominations are made, the election is a
matter Of course. But we have hot fights
in the primaries and as there are usually
several candidates, the friends of each
works actively for his nomination. Some
times it is very holly contested and then
the vote is pretty full. After the nomfn
tionS are made the interest abateS be
cause almost always the nomine is elect
ed F|
Asked as to the constitutionality of the
grandfather clause"-Mr. Hardy said
that since its adoption there had been
no discussion about it and no litigation or
suggestion Of litigation looking to con-
testing it. The people want white rule,
and intend to have it. and nobody Sc
riously opposes the new constitutional
regulation of suffrage.