Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-04-15
EIGHTEEN p AGES.
Z SUNDAY. APRIL l5. 1900.
AN ALLEGED REASON.

SO far as we have seen, the only
Y newspaper in Virginia which has been
4 outspoken in its opposition to the sub
mission of the Constitution Qf 1t shall
q be Teyised) to q vote of the people, Is
4 the esteemed Charlottesville Progress.
There are others. among them some of
4 the strongest advocates OF revision,
that hold the. same views, but they lack
the charming candor of the Progress
z Let the latter stateits position:
gsesaad = that The State Con-
sveYltion recommended that a new Con-
stitutionS be submitted tosthe people for
ratification. To this the Progress is
unalterabIy opposed, The character of
the Constitution to be adopted will be
passed on by the people when they
elect members Of that convention. BY
the character Of the men elected will be
indicated the character, of5the Constitu-
s.tion wanted. There Is not q thoughtful
mani of any political party, North or
z South. who does not now recognize that
giving the illiterate negro the fran
fchise. thirty years ago. was one of the
gravest blunders in the science of gov
sernmnnt ever perpctrated by civilized
nation. The North as well as the South
now understands the utter incapncity
: of the illiterate negro to participate in
y government, and yet Ii Is proposed by
some to submit to the negro in Virginia
! the question of whether the white peo-
sple Of the State shall, or shall not, have
Z a new Constitution. An instrument
prepared by the wisdom OF the State,
Involving the most intricate questions
of government, is to be sumbltted to an
& ignorant negro. for him to pass his
opinionsonait! Such farcical submits
sion Of the result of the convention
4 would logically give warrant to the
S conclusion that the convention itself
had been a farce. Virginia wants no
such campaign as would attend the
& submission OF "a Constitution to the
votes of the negroes, and the Democrats
stof the State should force no such cam
gpeign on her.
sss Here is q reason for you! In the name
n Of comnon sense hat has the negro to
8 do with the matter? According to the
& returns, Virginia gave white majority
Il ln1ss6, (hesyear when the white vote
Z was diyided) of 1874. In 1892 she gave
III White majority Of 5O,715, which Is
E about fair estimate on question OF
Il State Import only. Under these circum-
4 stances, a Constitution that could not
n u17n rland majority when 1t was Of
I fered5 With the Democratic imprint,
would be a pretty rotten document 1t
Z would clearly be one that did. not COM
mend itself to the Judgment Of the
white voters of the State. and would
i deserve rejection by the white elector-
& ate.
We respectfully submit, that it is not
worth hile to attempt to befuddie this
Il question with demogogy. 1t is ques-
lion among Democrats; a discussion OF
) fanlily affairs, and it is just as we'll to
sbss reasonable and sensible, and keep
sSthe dslna gy for the ediflcation of the
Sshetg hbors after the matter has been
been settled May be you can fool them;
certainly we shall not be able to fool
[ one another. We all know that the ne
gro Will not really have any finger in
this pie. SO what the use of pretend
Sing that we think so; and of wasting
i lerye,energy and printers ink and good
4 white pa per that costs all sorts of
. money in these trust days? Then, too.
1 ;,weg ali know that the enfra1chisement
OF the negro was zone of the gravest
4 blund etss ever perpretrated by a civiliz-
y ed government T. We ought to know 1t
ny this time from the fact that we
i have heard II for forty years. Likewise
snfast ;of us know the moon is not made
I OF green heese, but there is no need OF
sngging II into q discussion Of proposed
3entocrat poll Icy. 81 s
Is the Den10cga tic party prepared to
& sprsei q Ssonsti tuition on the people. the
ssse Seoplss The intelligent people. Of
sFfss By rfusing them an oYportu-