Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1902-02-27
THURSDAY. FEBRUARY 81. 1902
NEGRO SUPREMACY SCARE.

negro supremacy scare to keep control of
the State. 1t has served their purpose
well, and has frightened many otherwise
good men to the support of the political
measures and mt thods that ale disgraceiul
and criminal. The Walton law was enact
ed upon the pretext that it was solely
measure to prevent negro rule; and the
assurance was given that the facilities It
furnished for frauds upon the ballot should
not be used to the detriment of the voters
in the white districts. In fact, it was
claimed by the strongest advocates OF the
Walton law that its chief purpose was to
sEoteet the negroes in the eastern part of
the State in their known desire to vote the
Democratic tieket-many of whom it was
asserted wanted to vote that way, but
were prevented by men Of their own race
who weresult,aa Republicans.
Every one knows how the pledge to not
use the WALTON law for purposes Of fraud
in the white districts has been kept. The
outrageous frauds practiced in the Fifth,
Ninth and Tenth Congressional Districts
in recent elections are too well known to
be longer disputed. We all have the
''Scott County Ballot" starting us in the
face, as we'll as the dishonest ballots used
in every county IN this district in the
election of 1900. No man who even pre-
tends to be honest can or will undertake
to defend those ballots.
We might infer that the Walton law had
accomplished its proclaimed purpose in
the negro districts by giving negro voters
an opportunity to vote the Democratic
ticket as they desired, if we did not have
the testimony Of the Democrats as to
how they have been carrying those dis
tr;cts. The Democratic press and leaders
all admit that the grossest frauds have
been practiced in the negro counties; and
those who have been committing the
crimes now come forward and ask to be
relieved from the necessity Of stealing ne
xsxtes, by being furnished with an au-
more complete and dangerous than
Inc Walton law. These fellows are
seeking to have an understanding clause"
placed in the Constitution under the pre-
text that it will not lie employed for an
Infringement upon the rights of white
voters. Was not the Walton law secured
for the same pretended purpose and with
the same pledges?
1t is not the danger of negro supremacy
that is frightening these people, but 1t ls
the dread of Republican victory in the
State. The great change that has taken
place in political sentiment in the white
districts has been source of consterDa-
ton to Democratic politicians; and they
are again forced to use their old negro
scare as All excuse for reconstructing the
election machinery So as to make it impos-
sible for the Republicans to win. This
they think can best be done by having
Constitutional enactment to guide and
protect them, instead of the statute law
under which they have heretofore wrought
their fraudulent schemes.
The Democrats now contend that the
negro as a voter is menace to the peace
of the Commonwealth. Mr.. Montague,
now Governor of Virginia, when in Taze-
well 10 1900, proclaimed, in terms, that
&c would have been no demand for
disfradss the negroes if they had di'
vided up In politics. and voted with the
Democratic party. So, then, according to
the testimony of Mr.. Montague, the negro
is not per sc dangerous as a voter, but is
only dangerous when he votes the Repub.
lican ticket. This shows that the Demo
Gratis are not sincere in their claim that
the negro is essentially dangerous as a vo'
ter, and they are not SO much hunting for
his scalp as they are using him as a prize
to secure the adoption of constitutional
suffrage clause under which they can, by
partial and corrupt administration, dis
franchise white Republicans.
Major VIM. A. Anderson, now Attorney
General of Virginia, spoke at Tazewsll last
psA. ~, discussing the. danger of ne
geo s'' hasy ne tried to prejudice his
whis Audience with the idea that in some
Of the counties where the negroes are in a
majority the great danger was the election
of negroes to ofice-to such places as mag
istrate, constable, etc. This was the kind
NJ negro supremacy ne dreaded and that
threatened to bring trouble and shame to
the white people Of the State. To q white
man this 10 the most reasonable appeal
that can be made, because no white man,
Democrat or Republican, desires to see
negro magistrates and constables in any OF
the counties of the State. But it is no
excuse for the enactment of such vicious,
partisan suffrage measures as those that