The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-06-29
AN ARGUMENT FOR ITS ADOPTION BY
HON. GEORGE R0UNTREE.
Changes Made by the legislature at
It's Recent Session Explained - The
Negro Vote Discussed Attitude OF
b Negro vote-why There should
be Difference In Educational Qualin.
cation OF the Whites and Negroes

rnat X must stand or fall as a hole.
We have stricken out the provisions
that poll taxes shall be a lien only
upon assessed property" changed the
time OF paying the poll tax from March
LIST OF each year. n have stated ex-
plicitly that poll taxes cannot be COL
lected from those now exempt by the
constitution-those over fifty years Of
age; and have changed the language
a little TO make more clear and ex-
plicit the intent that those who regis
ter before December LIST, 1905, will
thereafter be entitled 10 vote, unless
they become disqualified by crime. II
was and is the opinion of every mem
Der Of the committee that that was
sufficiently clear before, but 20 allay
the honest fears OF some We have
thought ii wise 10 consolidate sections
4 and ), and express h intention in
terms that the Whole must stand or
fall together.
With these exceptions the commit
tee and the general assembly, after
having thoroughly reconsidered the
question in the light of the arguments
and objections which have been offer
ed against the proposed amendment
since the adjournment OF the general
assembly in March 1899, are, if posi-
BILE, more strongly impressed with its
necessity, justice and legality.
We nave sum in a free and en-
lightened system of government that
the right to participate in the selec-
lie affairs should be extended TO all
who are capable of exercising the
privilege in a manner lot plainly con-
trary to the general welfare Of the
community. But we think all reason
able men will agree, that IL is unsafe
to intrust the elective franchise TO a
large mass of voters entirely unac-
quainted, by habit or tradition, with
the principles of free government,
thriftleSs, migratory, emotional, docile,
easy dupes of demagogues, and who
vote, with rare individual exceptions,
as a mass at the dictation of a boss.
Such at any rate has been the un-
happy experience of this state with
the negro suffrage.
When the right of suffrage was con-
ferred upon the recently emancipated
slaves, the mass Of them being kindly,
but stolid and ignorant. with little
moral sense and utterly Impractical
in the arts of self-government, its ad-
vocates defended it upOn the ground
that it was necessary to do so to pre-
serve the fruits of the wa but the
wisest of them frankly admitted that
they were ap%prehensive of the result.
lucII dppI "CIC AiidA
realized; the result was appalling.
For a few years, as the world knows,
there was in the state an orgie of law
lessnesS, corruption, crime. in many
places a veritable reign of terror; but
by an almost superhuman effort the
virtue and intelligence of the state re-
gained control.
Then followed a period of peace and
quiet, prosperity n happiness; law
was firmly administered to rich and
poor, Write and black, with an equal
hand; schools were established and
asylums built; taxes were reduced n
the busy hum of industry began to be
heard.
During all this time the great mass of
negroes seemed to make little, if any,
progress in acquiring an understanding
of the principles of government; they
resisted all effOrtS@and many were
made-to induce them to take intelli-
gent, individual interest in men or
measures, but they continued to take
a keen interest in the act of voting,
and invariably voted solidly and under
dictation, and, therefore, continued to
be a menace to those communities in
the eastern part of the state where
they constituted a large majority or
the voters. This menace only those
could know who lived in that section.
In 1894, for various reasons which II
ii ~ Z ~ SNoI1p -
was a great difference of opinion
among the white voters of the state on
political questions, n a fusion was
arranged by a few men between this
great mass of negro voters. numbering
perhaps $4,000, and a comparatively
small number of white voters, which
was successful in the elections of that
ear
In 1896 a similar combination was
made. and in the elections of that
year the state in all of its de-
partments, executive, legislative and
judicial, passed into the control of the
coalition.
It was again, and finally. demonstrat-
ed that the overwhelming majority of
negroes did not vote freely, indepen-
dently and upon choice, but as a brute
mass at the dictation of a party lead
er who could, and did, as easily dis
pose of their votes as he could dispose
Of his chattels. A condition of the
suffrage in which a very few men,
perhaps one, car WELD at will, a vote
equal to oneithird of h whole vote
of the state cannot be otherwise than
dangerous to the public veal. and this
is not an overestimate of the condi-
tons which prevail today, after an ex-
perience Of over thirty years with I'M
restricted negro suffrage. This Is a
hard saying, but it IT believed TO be
literally true.
The results of the suces at the polls
OF fusion" were, as might have been
expected, similar in kind 20 those OF
1s6S-1S70.
Passing by without comment the in
credible lowering in the standard OF
character and ability in public officers,
and the fact hat more than 100 ne
groes were placed in such important
offices as Justices OF the Peace, county
commissioners, register Of deeds, dep
uty sheriffs, constables, school COM
mftteemen, aldermen and policemen,
several of the most important cities
and towns Of the eastern part OF the
state turned yer to the domination
OF the negroes.
The city charters had been carefully
drawn 50 as to give virtue and inteHi-
gence a preponderance Of influence
and this in such cities as Wilmington
and Greenville was changed by the
fusion legislature and the affairs OF the
city of Wilmington, for instance, were
subjected to the practical control OF
a horde OF ignorant and vicious negroes
paying less than 4 per centum OF tne
taxes. Similar things were done IN
other counties and towns. Nor was
this the half OF the story!
In many of these counties, cities n
tounS the administration OF n law