The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-12-02
TRYING TO RAISE A POLITICAL
ROW.

News comes from Charlotte via Wash
ington City that the Federal court officials
are getting ready for a new crusade OF
persecution Of State officials. According
to District Attorney Holton, several reg
istrars are to be indicted because they
didn't register enough negroes to elect
Moody to Congress. Judge Boyd on next
Monday-so the programme is officially
announced in the official organ--is to
deliver a charge to the Federal grand
jury in Charlotte and emphasize the duty
of registrars under the new suffrage
amendment. Then the grand jury is to
indict certain registrars who are said
to have made the test of registration too
rigid for negroes and the wheels of the
Federal court juggernaut are to crush the
program which the defeated Radical
bosses have promulgated as the first step
in the fight for the annulment of the
suffrage amendment.
If the allegation is true that certain
registrars put the educational test too
high, that in itself does not constitute
any valid reason for taking tho case
to Federal courts That would raise no
Federal question, but would be exclu-
sively a case for the State courts. If the
punishment of man for the violation
Of law is all that is desired, why is not
the indictment asked in the State courts
The new solicitor in the Buncombe dis
trict is a Republican. as is the solicitor
in the Caldwell district. The Democratic
solicitor in the Rutherford district is as
honest and free from partisanship in the
discharge Of the duties of his office as
Mr.. Holton can claim to be- There are
other solicitors who would prosecute any
corrupt official honestly and courageously
in the State courts. If Justice was the
only thing desired, why rush to the Fed
eral courts?
But it will be claimed that the per-
sons who were denied registration were
negroes. What has that to do with It?
Negroes ought not to enjoy judicial priv
ileges which are denied to white voters,
they ought to have no special court Of
fcials to give them protection denied to
white men. Nowhere has it been alleged
that harder examinations were given to
the negro applicants under the educa-
tional clause than to the white appli-
cants under that clause. The white
voters nearly all registered under the
under the educational clause were given
the same examination that was given to
the negroes. But now we are told that a
number of registrars are to be indicted
for what? For giving rigid examina-
ton to negroes, applying to vote,-an
so rigid that some negroes
could not pass it and therefore were de-
MED the right to vote in the last cleo
tion-not denied the right, mind you, be-
dition of servitude," but because the reg
istrar in the exercise of his discretion,
did not think they could read or spell
we'll enough to comply with the require
ments of the law. Suppose this is true
some registrars did apply too
hard a test-there was a remedy at hand
4 c}rD, -.
mistake in time to let the negro vote.
The rejected voter had his appeal to the
courts. If improperly rejected why didn't
the rejected negro apply for a mandamus
before the election? There isn't judge
in the State who would not have COM
PEELED the registrar to register every
voter possessing the legal requirements.
If it be objected that the Democratic
Judges would have refused that does
cary to depend upon Democratic judge.
There were six or seven Republican
Judges to whom application could have
1cen made Why didn't Pritchard and
Moody seek to put the negro preacher
elected at Rutherfordton on the regis
ration books? Why? Everybody knows
hat having kicked legally elected negro
delegates out OF the State convention they
we're running a Lilly White" campaign.
They would not then champion the right
# any negro to vote, fearing they would
ose some of the Lily White Commercials
hey had bought or cajoled or fooled That
s why no attempt was made in October
o correct any alleged error or wrong of
my registrar in the State. Now that
he voters have elected a Democrat to
Congress from the Tenth district, the
Republican bosses are coming out of
heir holes, no longer afraid Of soiling
heir Lily White costumes, and once
gain becoming the champion of the ne
gro and seeking a scat in Congress for
Moody by the allegation that certain ne
,rocs, who were denied the right to vote,
would now vote for Moody. if they are
low permitted to vote after the result is
declared. If they were so anxious for
he negro vote. why didn't they take steps