The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-05-10
SOUTHERN SUFFRAGE VIEW.

The South has taken up the qu-- o.
.l % r-4tr..t-- FRANCHISE with not o-.y
s.t.-.a .ly L-t with fairness and 50 d
a.. toward tie .I.ter4ts backs 4-l
o.. 70 s.4y aal1h has GraHa lo sps-.4-
-slt.l-Fl Seem the North Iaie--. s"
ana la many r-P-eF-atat.v= $Jrtas--
s..zpsp-rs aa szps. ss..G % rs-..f ta-t
w easy a path u 90 b. fouad out OF
Is Serious G.G.cg.ty-far ln aay eDg q
.o-Llae can % more serious. save ;a.i--
zee os p-at.e=cs. than the rule o. the
unqualified majority.
4 fair Indication q how the Virginia
suffrage experiment strikes cDls-fN4-
tiye people may b. fouad tn that most
judic.ous ard uOa-part. san Jour al. tA-
E~gl-x q Reviews; The N.rsi 49,
CONSTITUTIONAL Convention. which besa -
10 work nearly a year ago. completed
10 early "a April. and adjourned 20
convene again on May =. for the pr
rose either Of proclaiInins the new or
gau.c Law or else % submitting q -
popular vote. Its chief problem was
.1lyed on April By its adoption OF al
article dealing with the suffrage ques-
ton. The Virginia plan adopts a prin-
ciple that several other States have put
into force. known - the understand
ing clause" as a temporary expedleat
FOR a short period-that II 10 say. until
January !. 1904. local registrars may
put or a permanent roll OF voters all
applicants otherwise qualified who are
abls either To- read or 20 give a ''rea-
sOuable" explanation of any section OF
the new constitution when read 10
them: this IN addition TO taxpayers and
10 old soldiers or their sons. That the
general purpose OF this clause Is 10
give an opportunity for enrolment TO
white voters. while excluding iliiterate
negroes. IL not denied by anyone. Yet
Il does not follow. as many people as
Sert. that there is anything radically
unfair In this plan. Generally speak
Ing. the illiterate white man possesses
greater political capacity than the IL
literate negro. The important part OF
4 measure of this kind IS not the tenn
porary but the permanent method that
II introduces. The permanent plan in
Virginia is to be a yearly poll tax OF
si.50. besides which each applicant for
clearly and without assist
ance In the presence OF the registrar.
quite regardless OF any favoritism that
may be shown to the white voters. |
the Southern franchise laws render an
excellent service to the negro race |
when they require from the negro vot- |
ers either educational or property quail |
iication. or both. The ballot Is OF no |
value whatever TO the negro who Is /
not 1T Co exercise Il. The existence
of reasonable qualifications as To- liter
Soy and property furnish excellent in
-entiyes to progress. valuable on all 1
accounts and harmful on none. The
best and wIsest friends OF the negro
race are not worrying themselves at
~ about new Southern franchise laws.
No Southern State has made provisions
which exclude the negro OF intelligence
md property. The Virginia constitu-
ion provides for an improved educa-
ionai system and advanced methods
q control over railroads and other cor
Dorations.''
IL cannot fail to b. noticed In Hawaii
hat universal suffrage - no longer
'asic American principle and that We
re Nearing the time when public rule
Siii b. IN the hands OF the qualified
where alone such a RESPONSE
'iiity should rest. Congress held the
'psnioE when ~ framed the organic
pa for this Territory that Hawaiians
we're qualified for the exercise OF the
uii suffrage. but its faith was ~ much
hakcu ny the record OF the Home .
,uic Legislature and by the failure Of
wilcox. that one OF It's eminent mem
ers dld not hesitate 20 say. az the I
dinner. that the duty might
evolve ga Congress To- amend the Ha-
aiian voting privilege. To avert such .
misfortune the Hawaiians have only I
, join ;hc American parties and throw {
ie!f influence towards honest rule. r
= Ne pointed out to them two years 7
go. IL - their fiockinE by themselves
D race lines and their trying to- pay OF :
ie old scores OF the monarchy. which !,
'p-ives them Of influence at Wash !
gton and plays the mischief with c.
cir chance 10 get on here. To save "
emselves they should stop their u
ONE Rule nonsense and become Re- a
lbiicans and Democrats as other =
nericans are. Then their suffrage. :.
detected by both parties I'm Congress. q,
'uld be IA safe as anything can be- al
a mutabie world.
=,