The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-01-06
DIFFERENCE IN CONDITIONS.

When the Georgia Legislature declined
to submit suffrage amendment to the
Constitution, the negro organs in North
Carolina rolled that action as sweet
mOrsel under their tongues, declaring
that the reason Georgia did not submit
an amendment like the one in North
Carolina was because the Georgians
knew it was not constitutional and
would not stand. OF course no such mo-
tive influenced the Georgia Legislature
but that made no difference to the negro
lovers. They went right ahead with
their stories
Yesterday Atlanta Constitution has
an editorial which effectually answers
the arguments based on Georgia's failure
tn submit suffrage amendment. After
quoting with approval the learned opin-
ion of Judge Bryan, of Baltimore, and
expressing its belief that conditions did
not demand similar constitutional
amendment in North Carolina, the Con
stitution says:
when Il measure aimed ut negro suf-
frage was overwhelmingly defeated 10y
the Georgia Legislature, The Constitution
Endorsed that result very heartily. but
it is just as heartily in favor
Of the North Carolina amendment, which
rs very sweeping one And there is no
Inconsistency in The Constitutions atti-
tude. We have to judge particular
cases by particular causes. The people
OF Georgia have no special complaint to
make against the negro voters. From
the very first they have had among them
a certain degree of conservatism. Even in
the constitutional convention ii 1868 the
negro members of that body, while they
were led. refused to be dragged about
by the radical element composed of the
calpet-ha ggers, and in the legislatures in
which they predominated. the most CON
sentative of them could be depended on
TO rally around Scott, of Floyd. who rep
resented the whites, the Democrats, of
the State.
''Whether it is due to association or
TO tribal divergences, we are unable TO
say, but it is we'll known fact that
the negroes in Georgia are, in many
I'M other States. Give a representative
Georgia negro an office and he is ut
once sobered by the responsibilities. We
need not refer TO particular instances, but
such instances can be cited.
''On the other hand when the North
Carolina negroes had an opportunity to
display their fitness as office holders,
they not only forgot their responsibilities,
but ignored the fact that they themselves
were citizens. AS city and county Off
Gals and as justices of the peace, they
sought by every means in their power
TO humiliate their white fellow citizens
and brought their official orgie to a close
by plotting to produce a race riot. The
best that can be said for them is that
they have been debauched by the fusion
lists and the Republicans, and that their
conduct as responsible citizens has been
warped by this process. The negroes of
Georgia, ON the other hand have mot been
made the victims OF fusion and confu-
sion. But we are of the opinion that they
would have come out of such a tempta-
ton in better condition than the ne
groes of North Carolina.
mo matter how we explain the diff
ference. the fact is certain that the negro
voters of North Carolina are a constant
menace to the public welfare. while those