The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-12-30

The disfranchisement Of the negro in
the various southern states has had \
remarkable effe't upon the White voters
Of these states one entirely unlocked
for by the promoters of the movement.
1t has resulted in what might be called
voluntary Acknowledgement of them
selves for the Iime being by the white
men,. In no one OF the southern states
where the negro has been disfranchise1
has the white vote kept UP to anything
near its former record. In every OIL
Of these states has this vote fallen Off
greatly. Some Of these men who d.
not vote deprive themselves temporarily
or tie privilege bv not paying poll tax
nv the time prescribed by law. but &
much larger proportion fail to vote SIM
oily because they do not now take in
terest enough in the elections to go to
the polls.
The stay-at-homes among the demo-
cratic voters in this state at the last
election were mere numerous than ever
before known. Some people tell u,
these men stayed at home because they
knew the democratic majority would be
so great there was no necessity for
their taking the trouble to go to the
polls. If that was the true lution of
he small democratic vote those stay
aways acted upon very dangerous
reasoning: for in 1896 a good many peo-
pie hooted at the idea that the fusion
lists could carry the state: those who
rightly read the signs Of the times and
warned the peop.e hat there was dan
ger of Russells election were either
laughed at or abused as ca~lamity-how-
lers. But we 90 not think it was so
much the idea that their votes were not
needed TO insure democratic success in
the last election as it was Indifference
TO that success. which induced so many
men to stay at home who a heretofore
always gone to the polls and voted that
ticket.
What we experienced in this state at
the first election held under the consti-
tutional amendment DISTINGUISHING the
negro has been the case in every other
southern state. Thousands of white
men in each one of them seem to have
lost all interest in the political affairs
of their state. In South Carolina.
where they have a lagalized primary
election for the nomination of party
candidates this has taken the place or
the regular election. The democratic
campaigns for the former are not and
exciting and when the candidates are
nominated the ;eople take no more IN
terest in the matter because they know
that. the choice of the white people of
the state havirT been chosen for the
offices. all those participating in the
primaries who go to the polls will vote
for the democratic nominees. The
primaries really amount to an election
and III these the people take great in
ttrest. But in the other states where
the old methods of making nominations
are still observed the white voters take
no more interes. in the nominations
than the elections. These unlocked for
conditions seem to be more remarkable
in the state of Louisiana than in anv
other. In the city of New Orleans
there are about twenty thousand quail |
fed voters. For the November election
only about sixteen thousand of these
registered. and of the latter a large !
number did no. vote. Under the laws
Of that state tn use who do not pay their
poll tax by January 1st next cannot
vote again before 1905. They will be
DISTINGUISHED for the next presi- !
Dental election: still we are told tina
up 10 a few days ago in the city of New
Orleans not half of the otherwise quail
flied voters had paid this tax. What is
true of the city Is most probably true
Of the entire state. This Is a bad show
ing for democracy. Men who decline to
vote their party ticket from Indifference |
to its success are in a fair way to be
led to vote against that party.
In our state there are hundreds of
such men and in all party measures and
especially in legislative action at RAJ
leigh this winter heed should be taken !
of this condition of affairs. On the &C