The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-01-14


are dishonest. Well, there are hundreds
of lawyers in North Carolina who believe
it is constitutional. Indeed, there are
scarcely any who believe the contrary.
There are several judges in North Caro-
lima elected on the non-partisan ticket,
both rDon the Superior and Supreme court
benches, who have openly declared, ana
still openly declare that they will vote
for it land the greatest constitutional
lawyer in the United States Senate, Sen
ator Morgan, of Alabama recognized, af-
ter ex-senator George Edmrlnds as the
first constitutional lawyer in the United
States, has Just made a powerful speech
in the hearing of Senator Butler IN the
United States Senate, emphatically de-
claring that after careful investigation ne
has found nothing unconstitutional IN the
amendment and that there Is no provision
in it which can be interpreted to deny
or abridge the right of the negro to vote
on account of his race, color or previous
condition of sevitude. Anu before the
debate in the Senate is completed Mr..
Butler win hear other great constitutional
lawyers defend and assert the entire con-
stitutionality of this measure. What is
the opinion of Butler a briefless lawyer,
pared with that of Morgan, whose repu-
tation as a lawyer and statesman IS
world wide? Senator Butler is welcome
to his opinion. He has but little COM
pany. But even he was at one time in
favor Of the amendment, or ct least he
said he intended to vote for it, until a
few months ago. Why has he changed
front? Is it because he has been
promised Republican support for re-
election to the Senate and failing
in that judicial position UNI
der Mckinley? And was 1t to quail
fy himself for this position that he stu
died law and got his license!
But, even if constitutional from a to
lizard, the Senator is not pleased. lie
objects chat, under the amendment, whlte
bows. twelve years old now, when the
wear 1908 comes, will still be unable to
read and write and to pay their poll tax,
and win, therefore, be DISTINGUISHED. IL
is possible that there may be some such
cases. 1t is possible that some who are
boys now within the next eight years VIII
not learn how to read and write, or may
be too poor to pay their poll tax. II So
it would be an individual case. 1t often
happens that great public reforms bear
hard ON some individual. But If 1T bears
hard on any white boy that he cannot
vote because he has not learned to read
and write. he will doubtless be spurred
up to learning. 1t would not take hDm
long to qualify himself. If his parents
have not sent him to the public school
while under age, after he is twenty-one'
he certainly can learn in few months
without interfering with his danny labors.
He would not miss but one election. II
he missed one he would learn before the
next election came around.
SCHOOL FACILITIES.
But if he does not learn while still a
boy it will not be for the want of public
school facilities. The last Legislature
have given an earnest of what the Dem
ocratic party means in this matter. Be
sides the usual provision for public
schools. it appropriated an additional
S1OO. 0OOfrom the treasury to help pub
lie schools.
The facilities for every boy to learn
how to read and to write grow greater
and greater every year. The way Is oIFI'
The incentive will be greater II tnls
amendment is adopted than ever BEFORE
and every white boy will be sure to learn
how to read ard write so that he may
become a qualified voter. Under rms
STIMULUS illiteracy will cease to exist
among the whites in North Carolina
Anything that stimulates the white
boys to acquire an education; and tnat
stimulates the father of the Whlte boy 10
desire his son to acquire an education,
cannot be said to be a bad thing III North
Carolina Just at this time. 1t is one or
the means of removing the ilhteracy that
exists in the State. The amendment
creates this incentive on the part OF the
colored boy; and it might be bad thing
not to apply the same stimulus to the
white boy. The Democratic party IS de-
termined to give the white boys OF North
Carolina IA better opportunity than ever
before to learn to read and write, and
the white boy will learn, trust to his
Anglo-Saxon pride for that
BUTLER'S LOGIC.
The logic of Senator Butler is found
in its full perfection however in the
last objection he makes to the operation
of the amendment as a whole. admit"
he saws, "that it is constitutional, and
let's see how it will work. Well, let's
see. The amendment says that every
Shall. have paid on or before the first day
of March of the year in which he proposes
to vote his polI-tax as prescribed by law
for the previous year. Taxes are due IN
the fall Any man proposing to vote
must show that he paid by the first of
March the poll tax due the previous fall.
That might be a hardship in some individ-
nal case but it will ensure the prompt
payment of the poll tax; and the poll tax
Goes TO the public schools. 1t is the ed
vocational tax, and as there is to be an
educational qualification for voting the
poll tax should be duly paid. But Sen
ator Butler sees in this only Demo
cratic scheme to disqualify men who cam
not pay their tax before March lst.
That is all that his logic can find in it
"a scheme to disfranchise," while 1T as
plainly a provision to induce prompt
payment of the educational tax ON winch
the public schools so largely depends.
A RESUME.
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