The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1900-03-22
FOR THE GOOD OF ALL.
AMENDMENT DISCUSSED FROM
EDUCATIONAL STANDPOINT.

DISCUSSED FROM
EDUCATIONAL STANDPOINT.
An Able and Interesting Article by a
School Teacher-Why Edcators and
all Interested In Education of the
Masses Should Support the Amend
ment-WiIl Stimulate Education
Throughout the State Thereby Prov
ing Blessing to Rising Generations.
One of the best things in the pro-
posed amendment to our Constitution
is the educational qualification. 1t is
so arranged as to prevent temporary
injustice to anybody, and to accom-
plish lasting good for all. By pro-
noting and stimulating education, it
will prove a blessing to the rising
generation. Meanwhile it takes away
the ballot from nobody that is worthy
to vote.
The educational qualification is con-
tanned in sections t and 5 of the pro-
posed amendment.
":Section 4. Every person present
ing himself for registration shall be
able to read and write any section of
the Constitution in the English Ian
guage."
This section makes reading and
writing permanent qualification for
voting in North Carolina. If it stood
alone without modification or excep-
tions, it would disfranchise all voters
who cannot read and write. But very
many voters in our State, although
illiterate, are qualified by character,
experience, political education and
general intelligence for the use of the
ballot. They grew up without oppor-
tunities for education. 1t is not their
fault that they cannot read and write.
They have already demonstrated their
fitness for suffrage by intelligently
and courageously exercising the right
of the suffrage. They are Justly en-
titled to vote, and their children who
have grown up under similar condi-
tions are also entitled to vote. There
fore all persons belonging to this
class are exempt from the operation
of the educational qualification pre-
scribed in section i. These exempted
persons are carefully enumerated and
generously provided for in section 5,
as follows:
''Section 3. No male person who
was on January 1St, 1867, or at any
time prior thereto, entitled to vote
under the laws of any State in the
United States wherein he then re-
sided, and no lineal descendant of any
such person, shall be denied the right
to register and vote at any election in
this State by reason of his failure to
possess the educational qualification
prescribed in section of this article:
Provided, He shall have registered in
accordance with the terms of this sec
ton prior to December l, 190S.'
There are two parts to the educa-
tional qualification. First, the qualifi-
cation itself; second, it's exemptions.
Let us look first at the exemptions
and see whether all classes are eX-
empted that should be9
l. Uneducated whites (nativesl.
All uneducated whites, natives o1
North Carolina, who are now twenty
one years old are exempt.
All uneducated whites, natives o1
other States in the Union, now twenty
one years old, who could have voted
under the laws of those States prior
to January /, 1867, are exempt.
All uneducated white boys, native
of North Carolina or of other States
and over twelve years of age, whose
fathers were entitled to vote, are eN.
empt.
Thus all uneducated whites who are
now voters and all uneducated white:
who would become voters in the next
nine years are exempt from the educa
tional qualification. This exemption
is both just and generous. 1t include:
all those who have demonstrated theil
up under conditions unfavorable tt
their education. 1t includes also The
children of such men, who may have
grown up, or are now growing up
| under similar conditions. and who fo1
! some reason may be unable hereafte
to learn to read and write. The only
class of uneducated white natives who
| will be disfranchised are boys nov
under twelve years old who shall no
| learn to read and write before Dece m
ber l, 1908.
2. Uneducated whites foreigners
! Uneducated white foreigners an,
their children are exempted from thi
qualification, precisely as uneducate'
white natives, if they have had tn
same experience of our political insti
tutions as uneducated white natives
Otherwise they are not allowed It
vote. unless they can read and write
An uneducated white foreigner wh'
was a voter in any State prior to Jan
arv !, 1867, or whose father or grand
father was a voter January l. 1867, 0
prior thereto. and who thus has grow
up as it were into citizenship, is en-
titled to vote, although unable to rea'
and write. The same reason exist
here as in the case of uneducate'
white natives.
3. llliterate negroes (slaveS).
Illiterate negroes once slaves wit
no educational qualification and wit
a record that shows unmistakabl
their utter untitness for the ballot
will be at once disfranchised.
! i. Illiterate negroes (old free ne
groes), illiterate negroes formerl
free. if they were voters January
1867, or prior thereto. and their dc
scendants will be exempt from th
qualification.
These people have had longer e,
perience and shown more fitness to
citizenship than the other negroe:
, 1t may be doubtful whether the
should he permitted to vote. but th
amendment gives them the benefit {
the doubt.
1t thus appears that the exemption
/ from the qualification include all wh
are clearly competent to vote and a
, whose cases are doubtful, while e,
/ cluding all who are clearly incomp