The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-01-14
1T rs A YANREE IuEA.

The Southern people have never elaine,
| that they invented the Mississippi OF
Louisiana suffrage plans, freely accordns
10 New England the authorship of the
idea that the exigencies of the South
caused it to improve upon. 1t will be re-
membered that in closing the debate on
the constitutional amendment in the
House OF Representatives of North Caro-
lira. Mr.. Rountree, OF New Hanover. re-
sets had set for the suffrage legislation
that North Carolina needed. Restriction
of suffrage in North Carolina was re-
sorted to only as q necessity to save the
State from the effects of incompetent and
corrupt rule.
A few days ago the Boston Herald in
severe criticism of the Acknowledgement
of white men living in large cities in Con-
necticut said:
"In Mississippi and South Carolina
there is a race prejudice which denies
to citizens equal political rights on ac-
count of the color of their skin, the same
being regarded as an indication of in
ability to exercise a happy influence in
government. In Connecticut they deny a
fair share of influence in government to
men who live in cities and large towns
These are treated as inferior creatures
whose influence must be suppressed lest
the State be toppled over
The Washington Post points out that
the Supreme Court of the United States
has held that Mississippi suffrage re-
striction was not discrimination on ac-
count of trace. color or previous condi-
ton" 1t adds, in giving enlightment
Of the Boston Herald:
And. while taking note Of these facts,
the Herald might, had 1t been so inclined,
have traced the suffrage provisions CT
those two Southern States TO their source.
Had our Boston contemporary taken that
trouble, it would have discovered that
the constitution of Massachusetts gave
to the wise men OF Mississippi the idea
which deprives most of the negroes and
some OF the whites of the privilege of
the people of Massachusetts Dolted the
door against illiterates in order that ig-
norant immigrants might not degrade the
suffrage in that grand old commonwealth.
they acted wisely and we'll. Had trey
foreseen that a few decades later their
lesson would be utilized in TWO Southern
States to protect the ballot box from in
undation by deluge of ignorance, they
would have had a clearer conception Of
the benefieent influence Of a good ex-
ample.
Massachusetts changed her fundamen-
tai law to shut out only small minority,
and all of them were CT the Caucasian
race Mississippi and South Carolina
adopted that MASSACHUSETTS idea in order
to keep their local governments in the
hands OF the white residents, 20 keep the
majority CT brains, prosperity, education,
ana character on top. 1t was prompted
by the instinct of preservation
sharpened by bitter experience. There is
no State in New England or any other
section Of the Union whose people would
submit to negro rule.
''Where is the parable! between the out
RACES perperated under the Connecticut
constitution against urban residents and
those Indispensable restrictions upon suf-
frage in two States in which the blacks
outnumher the whites? Perhaps the Her
aid may be able to find it, but we cannot
Perceive the slightest trace of 1t. In
deed, the Connecticut monstrosity stands
solitary and alone.
Our suffrage amendments in truth are
founded upon Yankee idea, and we do
rot withhold thanks to Boston for blazing
the way by which We have ploughed
around the amendments that threatened
the South with permanent misrule,