New-York tribune., 1901-06-12
ALBANIA STFFR4GE.

ALABAMA SUFFRAGE.
change is clearly coming over the spirit of
the South with regard to negro disfranchise-
ment. The plain evasionS of the constitution of
the United States which in Mississippi. Lousi-
ana and South Carolina have shut the negro
| from the ballot box while preserving the votes
| of ignorant and shiftlesS whites 10 not meet
| in Alabama the universal favor which might
| have been expected Before the Alabama Con
| stitutiOnal Convention was voted one of the
| most prominent Confederate veterans in the
| State wrote to General Wager Swayne. saying:
| Amendment unwise. The Fourteenth was
| enough. Take away the Fifteenth. and not one
| Southern State would seek to disfranchise the
| negro because in doing so the representation in
| Congress would be decreased We now have
nine members of Congress-whom l know per-
| sonally-and am willing TO bet my house and
| lot that not one of them would voluntarily give
/ up his job to secure the Acknowledgement of
! the negroes! The whole scheme is of partisan
| politics. and in my judgment can he defeated
But this defeat cannot be accomplished by par
| tisan Republican, opposition. 1t must he done
/ by Alabamians. acting independently OF either
| party, the platform of justice and obedience
TO the supreme law of the land. Men like my
I self do not and will not aid in movement that
/ will bring our State into fragrant hostility to
| the constitution Of the United States, and thus
SOW the seeds Of another civil war, to be fought
| by our children or our children's children. We
| Know Wh6t IL costs TO resist the constitution
| OF the United States, and also that, though it
| may he little dlatOry in asserting its power.
some time il will strike with its iron hand and
| compel obedience. The politicians have organ
| ized this movement. our opposition is without
! leadership means to contest. The negroes are
| excited anxious. but fearful to contend. 1t IS
sad situation. In my last talk with General
! Gordon he said that 1t would he the widest
| folly for us to attempt to disfranchise the
negroes.
He also pointed out the impossiblity of the
delegates keeping their contradictory pledges TO
disfranchise the negro To deprive no white man
of his vote and at the same time to revise the
State constitution without conflicting with the
constitution of the United States He declared
for an equal educational test with perhaps a
property qualification. saying We of the white
race We're not and are not afraid to meet the
negroes on this basis of competition II is
known to me that the more intelligent negroes
desire it, They would vote To a man for a con
'sttution that diSfTanchiSed ignorance and
many of them would not shrink from tho prop
"erty test"
Now that the convention is in session the
delegates are beginning 10 feel the embarrass-
ment of their position. and some of their lead
erS ar" telling them frankly that n decent re-
spect for the opinions Of mankind forbids them
TO do injustice to the inferior race and that they
must solve the problem Of securing the suprem-
acy Of the responsible elements of the popula-
tion by equal laws in accordance with the
constitution. Ex-Governor Jones who Is one Of
the strongest men i'm Alabama. has Just pub
lishe'i a letter i'm which he shows that the State
cannot afford 10 enter on career of nullifica-
tion. and takes the ground that grandfather
clauses" and all such Subtcrfuges To dSfranchise
negroes without DISTINGUISHING whites are vio-
lationS of the constitution. and would he Justly
p1 nS lt- fhn -.
Ex-Governor Jones thinks that nothing but
equally operating educational and propertv
qualifications are possible under the conStitu
tion. which he reminds the delegates they are
pledged honestly to obey. An immediate cdu-
cational or any considerable property uuaI-
ihcation he thinks likewise violation of
prediction pledges not TO deprive any white
man OF his vote. As a solution of the
complicated problem. he proposes that i'm
order 10 prevent as far aS possible disfran-
chiSementS the delegates promised not 10 make
when person has property taxed So aS
10 admit him 10 suffrage he may qualify bv
voluntary contribution to public purposes
being otherwise than as to payment of taxes
eligible as n voter He suggests that the grand
jury have the privilege 10 recommend certain
number Of persons who shall become voters if
the recommendation is concurred i'm by the peo
persons of manifest good character and fitness
might become electors even though poor and
lacking in early education. and the complaint
that some OF the best white people in back dis
tricts would be dsfranchsed by equal laws
would he met. He favOrS trying this restriction
now and leaving il for the legislature 10 adopt
an educational qualification or not i'm view of
the results achieved. He says that a good many
negroes will vote under his plan. but that there
will not he enough even If badly diSposed IN
exercise evil control and he adds:
Besides, do not believe that it is for the rood
of either race that the negro race should mo
uai or the race, no matter what his good char
acter. intelligence and interest in the com
rnunity, shall be forever debarred from nuaIif,-
ing hlmself 10 vote in a government which tavas
hlm Furnishes him, regulates all his concerns
and IN case of need would demand of him IN
give his life in its defence
Ex-Governor Johnston is also opposed to nm
equal treatment of the races, and proposes poll
TAX ana an educational qualification for all alike
Notwithstanding the pledges of the delegates
which he evidently considers impossible of full
hlment. IL IS impossible 10 forecast the in1u
ence of these men, but even if they do not suc-
ceed in stopping the movement for negro dis
franchisement by unequal laws they certainly
show an awakening in the South to the larger
evils of such discrimination