The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-09-01
NEGRO SUFFRAGE IN VIRGINIA. Senator Daniels Extraordinary Suf-
 rage Scheme.
lew Orleans Times-Democrat:

New Orleans TimeS-Democrat:
 Senator Daniel has prepared Q scheme for suffrage in Virginia that contains many novelties. It has some of the features of both the Louisiana and Alabama Constitutions, but very marked variations from them. As Senator Daniel was the leading spirit in calling the Virginia Convention to gether. and as he Is the chairman of the Committee on Suffrage of that Con vention. the fact that he Is fatherfng a suffrage plan gives it great strength and renders Is very probable that this plan or something like :. will be adopt ed. It is now before the committee. and 1t is. announced that 1t or some thing very like 1t will be adopted. The objection to 1t. as to all the other plans. is that 1t Is too complicated. It con- tains features of the Mississippi, Louis jana. and proposed Alabama suffrage systems, with ideas borrowed fRom Vermont and other States.
 The grandfather clause of the Louis- lana Constitution, or rather ! var:a- tion of 1t. is preserved, except that the franchise descends only one instead of two generations, and thus he8editary suffrage. instead of being based on the fact that the ancestor voted, is, as in the ease of Alabama, based on the fact that the ancestor served in the Confed- crate or Federal armies, or some other army. We suppose it will include the descendants of a German or French soldier. The Louisiana hereditary vote Is better than the hereditary vote in Virginia or Alabama, fm it would seem that family accustomed for gen. erations to the suffrage would be for that very reason better able to use the ballot intelligently. Moreover we can not see that the fact that a man once shouldered a musket. perhaps only for a few weeks. Qualifies his descendants to be intelligent suffragans for gene- rations afterward.
 Senator Daniel himself sees the de- feet in this hereditary suffrage ppo- vision. which in Virginia, SS' in Louis jana would give the ballot to thousands Of ilAterate negroes, wAose fathers served in the Federal arEhy. He accord ingly attaches an exception to the pro- vision in rGEard to. the hereditary voters. u:.Lt no one drawing a pension from me State or Federal governments shdiI be entitled to, vote because of gnilitary service. This Is certainly a uniuue provision, and would certainly call up the constitutionality Of the law, for 1t is hard to grant the suffrage because of military service to those who escaped all wounds or injury dur ing the war and refuse it to those who. because of gallantry. wounds or other injury, are in receipt of recognition from the government. The purpose of this provision is. of course, to shut out the negro veterans; and while 1t would probably be effective. 1t is certainly achieving that result in a cruel and rather rough manner.
 Having got rid of most of the ne- groes in this way and let in a majorit.- of the whites. a door is provided whereby the remaining whites can ac- Quire the suffrage. This Is based on the Mississippi understanding clause varied by a Vermont idea. It is pro- vided that 'all those who understand the principles of government or who are of good character" shall be allowed to vote. even if they do not fulfill the other requirements of a voter. Several boards will pass upon the fitness of the applicant and 1t is needless to say that veryfew illiterate negroes will be able to fulfill the conditions and show that they understand the principles of gov ernment. and that their character fits them for the suffrage.