Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-02-09
a HowLER FROM HowLIRsvILLT.

preston that GEORGIA, MISSISSIPPI
LOUISIANA and TEXAS had the worst
Negro-hsters in the world, but iudg
ing from an article which appeared in
the VIReINIAN-PILor OF Norfolk, Va
January %, 1901, there is candidate
for ipecisl favor in VIRerSn
This Journals editor IN discussing the
acknowledgements OF the Negro by q
constitutional convention says:
There are, say, 10000, 10000
40 600 N .groes in the State-xe have
IN means OF estimating the number
securstely-who would 90 righs on
voting, because they can read and
write sufti GENTLY well to meet the edu-
catioDsl test. To this numb-r
the schools OF the State will
odd every year, bv q natural and nor
nal process or the young male Ne
Sroes who will come OF aga after th,s
measure Is adopted, easily rs pe r cent.
" ii be qualified TO vote.
But this list will not be swelled
merely by the on put OF the ordinary
schools. Between elections any Me-
gro OF ordinary Intelligence can Learn
TO read and write sufficiently to vote,
and thereby meet the &c q ct Oh al teet.
Let IL be granted that prac lcally only
q small percentage will do THE, yet the
aggregate viii be considerable. We
believe it is 3 conservative estimate.
that in ten years time 80 600 Negroes
in this State will be qualified to vot-
under On educational test. And this
lumber will be steadily increasing
from year to yeari Attempted die
franchise nent will have failed OF its
purpose, namely. the elimination of
she Negro from politics"
He remarks:
"The assumption thrt the white
man only objects to the ignorant and
vensl Negro ia politics, 10 the verisst
nonsense. The white man objects Just
as etreuuously to the reading and =
writing Negro as he does to the ignor-
ant Negro The sntipsthy is not q
matter OF varying intelligence; it is
racial. The white man simply does
not propose to be ruled by the Negro,
whether that Negro can read and
write or not nay, more, he will not
ALLOW the Negro TO participate in gov
erBment TO the extent of holding fiji 60.
The white man will let she Negro vote
for him for office, just as be would let
The Negro black his boots or drive his
carriage. but further than thar, speas-
ing broadly, the Southern white man
will not 20. It 10 che Negro IN politi -,
rot the ignorARs Negro hat he wacts
to get rid OF This is the sentiment
that is behind the movement to dis
franchise the Negro
He continues:
"In fact, the danger of the Negro
vote Jes not lie At ali in the ignor-
ance OF the Negro, but in his lack OF
moral character and sc nse Of RESPONSE
oility."
Now this editor lives in city where
only few months ago, = white man
was seq uitted of xii ing another for
for being intimate with his wife, and
in place where the District Attorney
openly declared the city to be, and re-
ferred particularly to the white por-
ton of it, one of the most corrupt
spots on the face of the globe.
Now, this editor has the Audacity TO
speak of the Negroes lack of moral
character. Who is setting the example
for him in Norfolk, Mr.. vIReISIAN-
PILOT. who is setting the example for
himF He then asks:
Does sny man bslieve that q reyo-
luton can be VOL ked in the moral
character OF race by teaching its
male members TO read and write q
clause of the Constitution"
II we should judge by the experience
with the white rave in the vicinity of
Norfolk, we should answer in the mega
tive.
II I've should judge by the expert
ence with the white race in the neigh.
oorheod OF Newport News, where the
Mayor and other officials have been it,
dicted for bribery, we should answer
IN the negative.
He will be more aggressive, more
seIi-assertIve, and therefore m )re DIFF
heuls TO manage. And how (maY we
iuqIire), are you gOif 6 to get rid OF
che reading and writing Negro? How
disfranchise hum, when he has become
Gas he wilD, n more irritating element
IN politics than the ignorant Negro
now 10 Pr
THIS is the question. How are you
TO do it in view OF the sworn obligation
under the Federal constitution not &C
make the attemptf
dc says further:
yet thst ia the absurd assum , tier
| on which the conclusion is based tnal
by getting rid OF the illiEerate
Negro vote. We assert that your mere
Negro get rid of the menace OF Lh,
reading d-wrising Negro will be {
greater meaGce in politics than you
illiterAte Negro; because he will b,
more .bumptious and opinionated
without being appreciAbly less venAL
he will sell for two dollars, wherea
che illiterAte Hegro sells for one."
Well, two dollars will be rather . Low
price for the reading ana writing Ne
gro, if We are to judge by the price
alleged to have been paid for the read
ing and writing white felix's.
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