The times., 1901-03-31
ILLITERACY AMONG VOTERS.
Law Students Discuss nm
Important Suffrage Question.

The question whether the representa-
tion in Congress Of those States which
have restricted the right Of suffrage
should be reduced proportionately was
ably discussed before a large audience by
members of the Debating Society Of the
school Of law of Columbian University
last night The affirmative side OF the
question was maintained by Ralph l.
Smith Luther Nj. Walter and Samuel
Herrick, while the negative was support
ed by Clyde /. Rogers, George h
O'Eryon, and Eugene H. Pitcher. As
Judges acted Justice David J. Brewer J.
j. Darlington. and T. W. Parker The
decision which was based on originality
of thought subject matter of speech elo-
quence. and manner of presentation, was
given to the negative, First and second
honors were awarded to Luther NJ Wal
ter and George T. o Bryon, respectively.
The first speaker on the affirmative,
RAIN L. smith based his argument of
equal rights to all and special privileges
10 none on the Fourteenth Amendment to
the Constitution. He said it would be
wrong to allow one class to steal the
privileges of a certain class of people be
cause of their iliteracy. If this practice
was allowed in one State, he said, there
was nothing to prevent all the States fol-
lowing suit Mr.. Smith argued that the
Constitution was not dead letter, but
should be enforced in all of its sections.
He said that i'm Mississippi there were L
per cent in Louisiana 40 per cent, in
North Carolina 30 per cent, and in South
Carolina 80 per cent of the citizens VINO
were denied the right of suffrage. He
contended that the representation Of
these States in Congress should therefore
! L., rDrTpSE0UdiUgiN reduced.
CIvde l.. Rogers, for the negative. ar
gued that the second section OF the Four
teenth Amendment of the Constitution
should be openly annulied or repealed. He
said that Il party that existed from the
support of the illiterate vote should be
wiped out of existence, and claimed that
il was impossible for two races OF un~
equal Intelligence to inhabit the same
land in peace and with equal civil rights
The speaker argued that negro DONNA
ton was attended by corruption ana wee
and that restrictive measures were JuSIl-
fed.
Luther NJ. Walter. for the affirmative,
followed with the assertion tnat an inter
ate voter had the same interests III puollS
affairs as miIliOnaireS; that the former.
by paying rent for his habitatIon, was IN
an indirect manner adding his support to
the maintenance of the Government. lie
said that when the Fourteenth Amend
ment was framed il was because 1t was
believed ii would be best for the con-
ScTvdtiOu of the nation. Mr.. Walter based
/ his argument mainly on constitutional
rights.
George L. O'Bryon, for the negative,
! claimed that almost every State had some
, restriction placed upon its citizens regard
1 ing their rights of suffrage. Some, he
/ said. reauire the payment of a poll tax.
( some a property tax and some educa-
! tional qualifications He also claimed that
/ the negro in the South is educated at the
! expense of the white man.
! Samuel Herrick. the last speaker for the
Affirmative summarized the case as pre-
! sented by his colleagues and predicted the
! downfall of the Republic If the present