The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-07-17
SUMTER. S. c.. WEDNESDAY. JULY ~ 1901.
SOUTHERN REPRESENTATION.
Census Figures to be Used as
Basis for Another Attempt at
Reduction.

Washington, July 1.-THE Census
Office is soon expected to complete its
work of ascertaining the number Of
negro illiterates in the South who are
over twenty-o one, this being taken to
represent with tolerable accuracy the
number of negro voters who have been
disfranchised by recent constitutional
amendments adopted in the Southern
States. When this is known, there
may be an attaempt to cut down the
representation of these States-will
certainly be, if certain Republicans
have their way. There is some doubt,
however, as to their success, as the
language of the fourteenth Amendment
applies to all male inhabitants. It
would affect Illinois. for instance, for
that State has law requiring resi-
dence for certain period before one
can vote. Probably there are 10000
males over twenty-one years Of age in
Chicgo who are unable to vote because
of this law. Massachusetts, has an
educational qualification, and Rhode
Island has poll tax. Other States of
the North also have suffrage oualifca-
tions which would bring them within
the scope of the constitutional amend
ments. Even the inmtes of the insane
asylums and similar institutions would
have to be counted in reckoning the
restriction of suffrage So there is
likely to be strong opposition to any
thing definite being accomplished.
By the time the next Congress
meets Alabama and Virginia will have
amended their State constitutions to
disfranchise a portion of the negro
vote. The attention of the public will
undoubtedly be directded in an in
creasing measure to this subject, es-
pecially as there is prospect that Geor-
gia will soon follow the example set
by other of her sister States of the
South.
a review OF the subject shows that
Mississippi led the way in the South
ern disfranchisement movement,
adopting in 1892 constitution con-
tanning the qualification that every
elector, in addition to other require
ments, should be liable to read any
section of the constitution of this
State or to understand the
same when read to him or give rea-
sonable Interpretation thereof" This
provision was carried through the
State courts and ultimately to the
Supreme court of the United States.
In the latter it was upheld, and this
language was used: The provisions
in section 244 of the constitution of
Mississippi making the ability to read
any section of the constitution or to IN
dersand it when read as qualification
to a legal voter do not amount to a
denial of the equal protection of the
law secured by the fourteenth amend
ment to the Constitution, and it has
not been shown that their administra-
tion was evil. but only that evil was
possible under them
South Carolina next came into line
providing that each voter must be
able to read and write any section of
the constitution or show Il 1t he owns
and has paid taxes on $500 worth of
property.
Louisiana in 1898 adopted an educa-
tional test involving the writing out
an application for registration. and
property option similar to South Car
olina's. It also added the '.grandfa-
ther'' clause. permitting those to vote
who were descendants of voters before
the civil wal.
North Carolina then followed with a
similar law.
In Maryland the white and colored
illiterates were put practically upon
the same basis, but as it worked out
in the last election the negroes really
had the advantge, because. acknowl-
edging their ignorance, they were
willing to be taught and learned the
simple fomulas necessary to mark
their ballots, while the white men,
scorning to admit their illiteracy, re-
sented efforts to prepare them to ex-
ercise the franchise.