The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-12-13
THURSDAY, DECEMBER IL, 1901.
RESTRICTIONS IN BOTH
SECTIONS.

chusetts, and a lot Of other republi-
can enemies. are anxious to have the
asouth's representation in the federal
hous raced because of the movement
to deprive negro illiterates in certain
states of the right to vote. il is well to
see how suffrage prevails elsewhere.
Moody wants to deprive Louisiana Of
two or more of the present six repre-
=sentatfves in the house.. II his is sue
~cessful is it probable that the scrutiny
and consequent action will stop with
one southern state. or with all south
ern states? Will it not be applied also
to certain northern states. Male citi-
zens have been cut off from voting by
tests applied in some northern states.
The Philadelphia Record is Of the opin-
ion hat Mr.. Moody's plan will work
IN the north as well as in the south.
It says in Mr.. Moody's own state rep
-resentation would be curtailed to the
extent of the disfranchised illiterates.
In Pennsylvania and other states neg
Iect to pay axe deprives the other
wise capable voter of his right.
THE unfortunate feature of the issue
raised by Mr.. Moody is the inevitable
revival of sectional controversy. Doubt
less if the matter should be pushed to
the result of denial of representation
the southern states effected would pre-
fer, as a choice of evils, such limited
congressional representation to negro
domination at the polls" 1t is quite cor
rect. The south is determined to never
again submit to negro supremacy and
the yoke it fastened upon it. The south
ly their very best friends But kind
ness appreciation and sympathy are
one thing, and having negro suffrage.
which means hostility to the white peO-
ole Of worth as all the past thirty years
shows is quite another thing. The
south has tried and will continue to try
to help the negro race, to educate the
negro children and give to the race gen.
orally a moral uplift, but it will not
permit any more ignorance and stu
pidity to control the south, to form its
laws. to select its public officials. to
levy its taxes. etc. The Record thinks
that it 'is not probable that the repub-
ucan leaders in congress will be will
ing at this time to take the risk in
volved in partially distranchising sover-
eign states which have been forced in
self-defence to erect barriers against
dangerous ignorant suffrage. There is
$40 fact more embarrassing in dealing
with the people whom we lave under
taken to govern in the islands acquired
from Spain than the Africanization Of
s. our own citizenship after the civil war"
We cannot repose much confidence in
the wisdom, forbearance and states
manship of the leaders of a party that
first forced the illiterate fran
chise upon the south, kept it enforced
In the face of the worst results fol-
lowing and has not the candor and
courage to repeal the offensive, unjust
Fifteenth amendment. The party that
fixed force bills upon the south when
struggling under most unbearable out
RACES and burdens, may not be yet
above dealing with negro suffrage in
the south after the Mood plan of re-
taliation. No people but those of this
blessed southland know lust what the
south underwent under the mighty up
heaval and the most violent changes
that were wrought by the cruel effects
of the war of invasion and conquest
OF the part of the gigantic north. Hon.
w B. Merriam is a native Of New York
state. a man of affairs and education,
was governor of Minnesota for four
years, and is the present director of
the United States census. He writes
IN the December number of the New
York Forum of the blasting effects of
negro suffrage:
The voting population was augment
ed by thousands Of people who, with
no experince in political life. had the
ballot thrust upon them. Former land
lords became tenants. In fact, the
~hnIa 70 hrin of SnHinfv had To he re-
built. The federal congress fixed the
status of the negro so far as citizenship
was concerned. and the white men Of
the south had to accept its decision IN
der protest. The contest between the
races has been waged with more or
less intensity for almost t~hirty-fve
years. Much acrimonious discussion
has been INDUCED in on the part or cit
teens Of both North and south Anathe-
mas dire have been directed against
political leaders for their attempt to
adisfranchise southern r~epubhcans-
The population of Alabama has great
ly increased. It is now greater than
that of North Carolina or Virginia. 1t
Is 1,S2S. 6S7. OF these S21.545 are negroes.
The negroes in a decade increased y
per cent. and the whites but 20 per
cent. OF the negroes 1S1, 500 can vote,
and of the whites 232. 900. OF the whites,
1000 are illiterates. and Of the blacks.
over 100. 900 are imiterates. But educa-
ton among the blacks has much ad-
vanced. In 1890. there were 1,oN VIII
could read: in 1900. there We're 1883
An educational test will not affect
these.
In Arkansas. the whites increased but
II per cent. in the last decade The
negroes increased 20 per cent. The edu
cation of negroes has much advances
SO per cent. in a decade. The white
who can vote number 226,593: the ne
groes 81, 239. There are 23,52s white ii
iiterates. There are $1,000 illiterates i
all. These are southern. Now turl
north. California has many Chinese
but they cannot vote. The constitu
zion requires, as given by Mr. Merriar