Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-10-17
THE NEXT SESSION WILL BE OF,
UNUSUAL INTEREST
MAY AMEND CONSTITUTION j! Q
to Make Permanent the
Understanding Clause OF suffrage
Artic1e-Thc Code WIN Have to
Be Made to Conforms to New Or
ganic Law.

) MdIly H1lS1SS1AHS Q0SSAtotlS=s" S~AAA~
next month when the General Assembly
convenes for its long session to conform
the code to the new Constitution, to con-
firm the appointments by Governor Monta-
que of the members of the Corporation
Commission. and possibly, to prepare and
consider Congressional reapporhonment
BILL
There. is another matter of overshadow-
ing interest that will in all probability
come up, and if 1t does is going to at
tract more attention than anything else
That is proposition to amend the new
Constitution just promulgated few
months ago. The proposed amendment is
to the suffrage article, and interests every
voter and especially the prospective vot
ers. It is nothing more nor less than
proposition to amend the Constitution so
as to make permanent the operation OF
the understanding clause as condition
of and test for registration. Under the
present constitutional provisions, the I'M
Outstanding clause will expire by llmtta-
ton after 1903 and applicants for regis
tration will thereafter be required to
stand merely the simple educational test
|fcation. There will be yet another regis
tration under the temporary understand
ing clause, and after that it is expected
that 80 per cent of the white men of Vot-
ing age not debarred by other general
provisions will have been enrolled. the
first registration has resulted In the en-
rolment Of only about 10 or Is per cent.
of the negroes, and the next, in October,
1903 will hardly double that percentage.
WANT UNDERSTANDINGS TEST
After January LIST, 1904. the prospective
voter must meet only the poll tax. pre-
requisite and be able to make his applica-
ton for registration in his own handwrit-
ing. 1t is -contenfed by the advocates OF
amendment Of this article that after the
expiration of the understanding test, the
undesirable negro element excluded by the
operation of the temporary understanding
clause will be able to register and In a
few years the participation of the negro
in politics will be as general as under the
old Constitution. It has been demonstrate
ed that many negroes who can read and
write a little have no comprehension of
the meaning Of what they read, and are
unfit for suffrage responsibilities. With
public free schools it will be only few
years before every negro almost, will be
able to get into the electorate and the
work Of the Constitutional Convention will
have afforded but temporary relief from
the evils Of negro suffrage
Among those who are inclined to favor
the amendment OF the Constitution so as
o.nake the application of the understand
ing clause permanent, is Hon Henry D.
Flood, Congressman from the Tenth Dis
trict, and one of the prominent members
of the late convention. Mr.. Flood was
frank and fearless advocate Of the perna-
nent understanding clause, and made Il
powerful argument for it.. Now that it
has been demonstrated that the under
standing clause is a valuable limitation
upon suffrage. Mr.. Flood is Of opinion
that it would be wise to make it perma
nert. and is convinced that unless this
is done the work of the convention will
in a few years have been undone. He be-
lieves that the white people OF the State
are satisfied with the operation of the
law that it will not have the effect of
eliminating any number of white voters.
On the other hand, a fair administrative
of the law has served to remove from I.
electorate many worthless negroes, some
of whom can read little, but have no
comprehension of the genius of popular
government.
SUBMISSION TO THE PEOPLE.
There are. many others who share the
views of the Tenth District representa-
~ ~ oAAo ~ - .et1ASh AOA a. cASSA IAclI
tial steps will be taken by the General
Assembly next month looking to amend
ing the Constitution and making perma-
inent the understanding clause. The bill
will have to be passed by two successive
General Assemblies. and then the question
would go before the people This would
incidentally have the effect OF submitting
the vital issue OF the late Constitutional
Convention to the people, There is believ-
ed to be little doubt that the amendment
would pass the General Assembly as now
constituted. Then if the people opposed
the change, they would have the oppor-
tunity to Indicate their opposition and to
defeat the proposition in the following
General Assembly.
In fact, the proposed amendment will
be equivalent to submitting the vital por-
tons " the new Constitution-not to the
entire electorate that called the convention
into being. but to the restricted elector-
ate created by the convention. Incident
ally, the prevalence of the movement
would have the effect of removing
the negro as a factor from politics perma-
nently. That was what many of the ablest
members of the convention wished to do
in the firstinstance. It can be accomplish
ed. is is believed, by the method OF 1egts-
lative amendment.
A. H T..