The Washington bee., 1901-08-03
A PLEA FOR THE NEGRO
GEO. d. WISE CONDEMNS THE
ACTION OF THE
Virginia Constitutional Convention-The Ne.
gro Good Citizen.

EX-RepTesentative George D. Wise
OF Richmond Va, delegate in the
convention and number of the fran
chiSe committee, slated FRIDAY that
he feared the ultimate outcome would
be radical disfranChisement.
PERSONALLY, believe we can afford
to be very liberal as to who shall vote -
said Capt. Wise. | am satisfied that
the people in this section feel thatwsv.
he ministers of nearly eyery church
here in Richmond have called unon
me TO urge that we do not 90 too far
IN barring any body from exercising
the right of suffrage. lanes Rus,eu
Lowell wrote that il was better TO 9ive
a man ballot than to put a wrong
idea in his head. / agree with thai.
We must have the negroes with rs
They live about us and in our bousaS
Why should We encourage them to hate
US! ITue,there aresome who should not
be allowed to vote. They are the
vicious negroes. We can easily ex-
clude them from the ballot without
| any radical action. and the better class
OF negroes will applaud US for doing
II. But almost the same thing can be
said Of the white. There are white men
/ ullCIlp uLlJ 10 vote.
"a moderate restIic ion will be ems
tirely adequate for conditions in Vir-
ginia. We do not want our State to
be Classed with the States 10 the South
that have adapted stringent methods
o keeping the negro from voting.
1t would hurt us in the opinion of the
people in the North and West, and
that means that the State would be
materially affected in the long run. "
AS the scion of an old and respected
family in Virginia and as a conserva-
tive and able Democrat, whose long
service in the National House has
broadhned his vision, Capt. Wise
statement at this time has much sig
nifcanCe. Political wires have been
shTewdly pulled by the delegates
from the black belt to force some
radical action upon the convention,
and thus far the work has apparently
heen done with success. The murmur-
ing from the white counties of the
bitter fight that the repOrting OF
radical plan 10 the convention viii
preci itate, But that would be as.
suIed in any event.
NEGROES AND WHITES BY COUNTIES.
Capt. Wise h as just received from
the Director of the Census at Wash
ington a tabulated statement of the
white and colored population Of Vir-
ginia by counties, which he expects
will be valuable when the debate
/ about suffrage is on for showing Just
/ to what extent the negroes predom-
mate in numbers, ''I only received
/ the tables this morning." said Capt.
! Wise. land have not found time to
ana'yze them closely. Blu: am con-
vinced that negro voters do not pre-
dominate in the counties of this State
as mnch as is generally claimed"
Authority was granted to-day TO the
suffrage committee to sit during the
sessions Of the convention. The ex--
Isting entente cordiale after yester-
days episode has undoubtedly
brought the members closer togeth er
than ever before, and a renewed
effort will be made TO get together on
a common plan. Another sub-C ON
mittee may be appointed TO draft a
concrete proposition, but there is
every promise that it will be accom-
plished with the utmost good fee ling.
Practically all of the session yeste rday
forenoon was occupied with dis Gus
sion Of what some regaTden as griev-
ances. The sub committee reported
simply that it found an educational
qualification.