The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-06-15

Representative William Richardson
Declares thc Negro VIII BE EIimi-
mated aS a Factor In Elections.
Says SIr. Ior=an's Plan VIII Fail.
Representative Richardson Of Alabama
who succeeded General Joseph Wheeler in
the House and who has been in Washing
ton several days. said today that the con-
stituuonaI convention now in session at
Montgomery VIII adopt constitution
which VIII eliminate the negro as factor
in elections in that State. lie F.sedicts
that the plan Of suffrage prepared by Sen
ator Morsan VIII fail fat as 1t places too
much power in the hands of the regis
trars. Senator Morgan left this city sew
eraI days ago for Montgomery where ne
VIII present his scheme to the convention.
Mr. Richardson is here on departmental
business for his constituents and is stop
ping ct the Raleigh. When questioned as
TO The probable result OF the convention
being heIG in his state ne stated that
there Has a mistaken IDEA throughout the
North that Alabama intended to tear the
Fifteenth Amendment out or the Constitu-
tl5u Of the United States and tranpIe it
under foot. This was great mistake, he
said, as there were good lawyers in the
convention and wise legislators and they
did not intend TO take any action which
could be set aside by the United States
Supreme Court.
i have found that the whole country
is deeply interested in the result of the
constitutional convention said he The
gravity and responsibility Of the work is
keenIy felt by the delegates, and while
cannot say that the convention is COM
posed of the abIest and wisest body Of
men ever assembled in Alabama, many OF
the members are the ablest, most pru-
dent, and most conservative u1en Of our
state and the people confidently expect
good work from them.
The formation Of new constitutions by
many Of the Southern states. under pres
CIT conditions. in my opinion. marks a
crucial point in the history Of the South.
We have met and mastered by common
sense and prudence grave difficulties in
the past thirty years. I have absolute
faith that the Alabama convention viii
take the lead IN setting the negro stlf-
rage question on the right basis. and that
its work viii be approved and ratified by
the people.
''Of course the chief object IN calling
the convention was to get nd OF the ne
gro vote. and th.s the convention viii do,
in accordance arieh the provisions Of the
Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution.
1 do not think the Fourteenth Amend
ment has anything 20 do with the matter,
f0- it IS virtually replaced by the Eff
tenth.
There is not q man in the Alabama
WIS believes that the negro
can be deprived Of a vote simply because
he is a negro. The drift Of opinion is that
and qualifications applicable to
both races VIII be attached TO the right
Of suffrage The people of both the North
and the South are at this time on a
sound basis OF understanding on the ne
gro suffrage matter am satisfied that
the convention viii provide q fair elec-
ton law There viii be no sembance OF
]retence about it by which any person Will
be able to manipulate the vote of another
The people OF Alabama are in dead
earnest about this matter and the dele
gates to the convention feel the same
way. Senator Morgan has submitted a
carefully prepared plan of suffrage. but a
great objection has been raised against
this because 1t places a dangerous power
in the hands Of the registrars, VIZ, are
provided for. This is fatal to
the Morgan scheme as = whole
You must understand that we have no
use for the negro in Alabama and We in
tend to set rid of him as a factor in our
elections. But we are not foolish enough
to violate the Fifteenth Amendment 10
the Constitution. We can do it in way
that viii defy the United States Supreme
Court TO find Z flaw. We have bigger
job on our hands in this negro question
than many people are aware Of and it
must be settled now
When questioned as to the sentiment in
the South over the Cuban question. Mr..
Richardson stated that in his opinion
Cuba ought TO be and VIII eventually
become enc Of the States Of the Union
I am glad that the Platt amendment
has been accepted by the Cuban conven-
tion." said he. but what our Government
must inevitably do is to clothe Cuba
with Statehood What worId-po7er could
complain of so-caIled broken pledges or
faith if we gave Cuba the same govern
nent which We have been constructing
for ourselves in blood, prayer. and tears
for more than century and a quarter2
What Cuban could complaint Cuba is
needed in our governmental purposes.
The natives are incapable Of framing
government which viii make them law
abiding citizens
GOVERNOR OF NEW HEXICO.