The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1901-04-04

GUS in effect. That General Assembly
being composed of. some Of the best
lawyers Of the party, must have
known, or at least had q reasonable
doubt, not only as to the unc0nstitu-
Of the mOnstrous provision of
Section 3, known as the grandfather
clause" in said amendment, but also
of the great danger Of that unconstitu-
tional sectional section falling, leav-
ing the remainder of the amendment
to stand, thus DISTINGUISHING by an ed
ucational qualification fifty or sixty
thousand white voters of North Caro-
lima, who in 1898 gave the Democratic
party power In the Legislature, and
whose ignorance is no fault OF their
own but is chargesble to the neglect Of
the Democratic party, which now seeks
to disfranchise them and make their
ignorance q crime alongside that Of
the felOn.
But even if the proposed amen dment
were not unconstitutional Gas il clear
ly is), still it is especially objection
able in the following particulars:
(a) In that it dignifies with the right
of suffrage the most vicious, trouble
some and obnoxious class OF the negro
population, and completely disfran
chises the most faithful, kindly and Or
derby element of that race.
90 In that, while ciamoring for white
supremacy and declaring that no white
man shall be disfranchised under this
amendment, they have so written their
amendment that every white boy be-
coming Of age after 1908 stands on the
same footing with the negro, and can
not vote unless he is able to read and
write.
(c) II that BY the la55of provision,
they have made it possibis for the sd
ucated negro after 1908 to cast his bal
lot while the unfortunate son of the
white men who have been the strength
Of true democracy stands without q
vote at the ballot box. They slsug inter-
she suffrage of the son whose father
they dare not openly attack.
(d) In that this suffrage amend
ment does not remove the negro from,
politics or settle the negro question IN
North Carolina.
paid his poll tax as much as Ave
eight months before the national cleo
ton, shall be disTranchised as much "a
if he were convicted Of felony or were
al nOa 0AG AC p11 peSS VI
THE provision is not only to disfran-
chise every good honest citizen who
unfortunately cannot pay his taxes by
the first Of March preceding the cleo
tion, but further TO Try to bribe the vo-
ter to surrender his suffrage at the ex-
pense of the public school fund Of the
State, which is derived frcm poll taxes.
There lurks behind this proposition 8
still greater danger to the public
schools of the State, for with the adop-
| tiOn of the amendment the opponents
Of free schools In North Carolina will
at once raise the cry that every dollar
raised for public instruction means the
increase of the number of negro vo-
ters, and thus the poor white mans
son will be chained in bondage Of ig-
norance and disfranchised to prevent
the education of the negro voter
There is no white supremacy In this.
The constitutional question pre-
scented by the proposed amendment is
| one that must be determined by the
judgment and conscience of each indi-
vidual voter. Therefore, we do not
make it party question. We state the
| evils and dangers and leave the voters
of all parties to pass their verdict in
the light Of these facts. The question
is above party, and no one should be
more active and anxious in our judg-
ment TO defeat it than the rank and
file of the Democratic party.
The Peoples Party is and has always
been more distinctly than any other
party in North Carolina a white mans
party, and is more anxious than any
other party to solve the race problem
and to force oil parties to 4 discussion
of the great economic issues so vitality
affecting the welfare of all wealth pro-
ducers of the State and nation and de-
oency in politics.
Therefore, We propose in lieu of this
dangerous amendment, the best soiu-
ton of the race question that is posi-
bic as long as the 18th amendment to
the Constitution Of the United States
stands-a solution which deprives 10
white man in North Carolina now or
hereafter Of his right Of suffrage, TO-
wit.
Amend Section 6, Art. y, VI ene Con-
stitution of North Carolina sy insert
ing among the disqualidcstions for
Office, enumerated therein, the follow
ing, viz: All negroes and aIl-persons
Of negro descent to the thirdS9enera-
ton inclusive.
II the Democratic Legislature which
meets in June will offer this safe. CON-
stituti0nal and wholesome amendment
inilieu Of the present scheme it will
have our hearty support. II they will
not, we appeal to the people to rally to
cur assistance TO elect . legislature
pledged to support suohi IN amend
ment.
We congratulate the pe0piesofkNorth
Carolina upon the decision Of the State
Supreme Court in the case of Harris
vs.. Wright (12l n. G. R., 17a), declaf.
ing that the General Assembly has
power to provide different systems Of
county government for various ooun-
ties of the State. Acting under this
decision, we pledge the Peoples Party
to the maintenance of the system Of
local self-g0yernment in oil the white
counties, towns and cities in the State
as established by the General Assem-
bly, of 1896, and at the sane time To
provide and maintain legislative sys-
tenn Of coonty government for al the
negro counties of the State. 40 Chat
there can never be any Question that
ana complete control Of esenty insthe
State.
We aen0unoe the Democratic Le9is-
latufe Of 1899 for passing snfelection
law. every provision Of whjchkis care
fully and cunningly planned. and de-
vised to thwart the sovereign viii of
the people Of North CafOlina by.whole-
sale maud and debauoheFy Of the hxi.
sns eox, W 9oeIaRs WithouS faoY es
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