The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1901-01-24
THE GOVERNORS MESSAGE.

THE GOVERNORS MESSAGE.
Governor Aycock devotes a great
portion Of his message TO the Gener-
oil Assembly to . discussion OF the
needs, the "nigger"
question and the necessity for fair
elections In the future.
He discusses ut length the "evils
Of negro suffrage" showing the con-
ditions that existed IN the South
when the ballot was frst placed in
the hands of the negro, and charges
him with ingratitude "for not divid-
Ing politically IN view Of the fact
that 10 much has been done for that
race by the white people. But Gov.
Aycock, now that the negro has the
right guaranteed by the constitution
to vote, would not be so hostile to
his exercise OF that right, IL he in .
great measure, voted the Democrat
10 ticket. Therefore, it is not SO
much against the negros right to
vote, that the Governors hostility is
manifested, but because tbs negro
has not voted the Democratic ticket
or divided" in politics
When q negro votes that ticket he
Immediately, in the eyes Of the Dem
ocratic machine, becomes very
respectable and Influential" mem
Der OF his race.
II negro suffrage is an evil, as the
Governor contends, then it is no less
an evil because q negro votes the
Democratic ticket. There can be no
middle ground on that proposition,
an evil is an evil wherever found.
That the Governor is hostile to
the negro solely because only few
Of them vote the Democratic ticket,
10 shown in the following extract
from his message:
eve still hoped that they would
follow the example of the whites and
divide their vote along the lines of
governmental, industrial and moral
issues"
IL the negro had followed the EEK
ample Of the whites" as Governor
Aycock suggests, hen according to
his logic, tnere would be no ground
for hostility to the negro exercise &
the right to vote.
The Governor and his friends have
all along argued that q negroes vote
should not be us, "to kill q white
mans vote" To be consistent and
honest he should advocate the abso
lutte Acknowledgement OF ali negroes
For il the negro joins the Democrat
10 party then he Ski Is the vote" O.
some Populist or white Republican
Again, if it be wrong for the ne
gro vote to be used to kill q white
mans VOTE" then it is damnabl'
evil when the Democrats In Halifax
Edgecombe, Craven, b rite and 9th
or "nigger" counties count the negr'
vote against white Republicans aut
Populists In the western counties.
This negro vote was counted to1
Governor Aycock last August, an,
1t swelled his majority many thou
sands, thereby offsetting thousand
of white votes cast for his opponent
Therefore, it seems that the bur
den Of machine Democratic opposl
ton to the negro is due to the fac
that he has not, as yet, solidly al
igned himself with the Democrat
party. When he does all opposition
will melt away as quickly as tn
mist before the morning sun.
The Governor discusses also tn
constitutional amendment which Wa
adopted by "force and fraud.' H
argues that when the negro posses,
es the capacity" he should be a.
lowed to vote, insisting that tn
State should be governed by "vir
ne and intelligence"
1t is indeed amazing that on
born on North Carolina soil, and fl
miliar with the inclinations, temper
ament and characteristics of the ne
gro should believe that "virtue" ca
be given to q race of people by cor
stitutional or statutory enactme EN-
Experience 10 the State has laugh
those who have carefully watche
the development of the race tha ii
educated negro dude is the most v
cious in principle when it comes
act in matters political.
The old ex slave as rule, is inc
fensive, kind and docile, but he
the one who is to be disfranchise,
II virtue" is not implanted in ma
by Providence, instances would
rare indeed where 1t could be legi
lated in him.
IL the negro today is q vicious ell
ment in politics on account of hi
ignorance he will be doubly SO whe
he receives smattering Of an ed
cation.
In justifying the adoption of Il
amendment by methods that won
be disgrace to the civil alton
the early centuries, Governor A
cock says:
1T distinctly looks to the futur
1t sees the day of universal suffrage
Universal suff tsge'' indeed! Th
plainly gives the lie to all the car
psign declarations. The redsnir
were opposed to the negro, apparen
ly, because his vote, in some section