The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-05-21
OLD NORTH STATE
HER SONS DINE AT THE WALDORF
ASTORIA.
JUDGE VAN WICK PRESIDES
THE MECKLENBURG DATE CHOSEN
For THE DINNER.

Gov. AycOck Discussed the South's
Duties to the Negro Rnce-NO In
justice Done by North CarOlinn's
Suffrage Amendment, He Contends.
Many Descendants of Free Negroes
Are voters Under It-AH who Come
of Age After 1908, Must BE Able to
Read and Write in order to Vote.
New York, May 2O,-Judge Augustus
Van Wyck presided tonight at the an
nual dinner of the North Carolina Socie-
ty held at the Waldorf. At his left sat
Gov. C. B. Aycock of North Carolina,
whose neighbor on the right was ex-Gov'
Hugh P. Thompson of South Carolina.
There were about 200 present 1t was
announced that the dinner was set for
today owing to it being the date on which
the MeckIenburg Declaration of lnde-
pendence, drafted in North Carolina be-
for the national declaration, was agreed
upon in Philadelphia.
The speakers of the evening besides
| Gov. Aycock were Assistant District At
torney James w. Osborne and George
| Gordon Battle. The former spoke on the
Mecklenburg Declaration of Independ-
ence, and the latter on the men who rep
resented North Carolina in the United
States Senate and Supreme Court.
POSTMASTER Van Wyck paid a tribute
to the state of North Carolina, saying in
part:
North Cardinals hills bristle with
church spires and school domes. Her
fields TEEN with rich fruits of Mother
Earth, while the cotton spindles and
looms and factory wheels line her water
courses. Her mountains glisten with rich
metals and precious gems. In her lovely
| daughters are sweetly blended culture
grace, refinement, intellectually and pur-
| ity of character, which always elevate
| mankind and give luster to a nations
history. In all the advanced movements
| of the human race her sons have KEPT
fully abreast of the front column"
Duties to Negro Race.
Gov. Aycock spoke of the new condi
| lions in the South, and the duties of tht
Southern people toward the negro race
saying, in part:
I'm 1900 we made good the determination
of 1898 We adopted in that year the con
stitutional amendment which bases sur
frage upon intelligence, and renders th'
future of the state secure. That amend
ment has provoked much discussion IL
the North The attack upon us is base'
on the assumption that we have done al
Injustice to the negro. Our amendmen
does no such thing. We have recognized
the power of the influence of heredltV
We think that those who have exercises
the privilege of suffrage and those de
scended from such people are more hkel'
to exercise that suffrage beneticially thal
the men upon whom suffrage has bee
cast as a gift. The amendment to TN
constitution of North Carolina provide
that no man shall vote in that state al
ter 1908 who cannot read and write, Du
exempts from this inhibitory clause thos
who could vote on Jan. l, 1867, or at an
time prior thereto and those descende
from such voters This provision appne
alike to white and black. Until 1888 IN
free negroes were entitled to vote. L
1900 there were. and there now are, thos
who were slaves who cannot read an
write who can vote under the provisio
of our constitution because they Wer
voters in 1885. and there are many thous
ands of negroes descended from sue
voters who can exercise suffrage, althoug
they cannot read and write. Those VIII
come of age after 1903, white and black
must be able to read and write or the
cannot vote Our amendment is not aim
ed at the negro as an individual. Ii
mass voting that we seek to destroy"
Distinguished Guests Present.
Among the prominent persons presen
we're Col. ZENITH Murchison, F. Tenny
son Nelly, DIR. James j. Phillips, Prof
Logan D. Howell, formerly superintend
ent of the Raleigh public schools; Leo
rard c. Van Noppen, Thomas d. Toy
Robert Z. Follin. Talbot Sharp and pres
idents of the other state societies in tn
| of4x