The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-07-03


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ft1t. =----------.--=-
THE TRUTH ABOUT SUFFRAGE
We have more than once said that the
Conference for Southern Education ought
really to be called a Conference for
Northern Education, and the several con-
ferences which have been held have been
greatly instrumental in opening the eyes
Of Northern leaders to the true political
situation in the South. DR.. Lyman ABB
bott. editor Of the outlook. has done
splendid work in bringing the facts before
The readers Of that influential publication
and one of the best articles that we have
seen is contained In a recent issue OF that
publication.
The article is entitled NEGRO Suffra ge
In the South" and in 1t the writer out
lines the various suffrage plans In Mis-
sissippi, Alabama, South Carolina, North
Carolina, Louisiana and Virginia After
taking UP each of the plans In detail,
lie sums up the whole by saying that
In all the Southern States any negro VINO
possesses limited amount of taxable
property, about $500 worth, tssessable
value, and can read and write the Eng
lIsh language, can vote; In three of the
Southern States any negro who can read
and write the English language and has
paid his poll tax can vote, although he
may not be the owner of taxable prop
erty, and in three OF them he can vote if
he owns taxable property, even though
he cannot read or write.
In none Of the Southern States. DR.. Alb
bott tells his readers, Is a negro legally
disqualified from voting because he Is a
negro; in none of the Southern States Is
he disqualified IL he possesses $500 worth
of property and gives evidence of his
ability to use inteligently the English
language. In short. DR.. Abbott says that
40 negro showing evidences OF conpe-
teDce, by his possession of a very limited
amount of property, and by ability to read
and write the English language. is per-
.nanently excluded from the suffrage in
any Of the Southern States. And hta
tells the Northern reformers that before
they consider the question what they
posed to have been perpetrated on the
negro race by the Southern Constitutional
Conventions. .they'certainly should under
stand carefully what the wrong is and
how far time and education and the es-
Establishment Of kindly relations between
the blacks and whites In the South Will
have the effect to correct 1t.
Nine-tenths OF the trouble in this world
between man and man, between section
and section, between nation and nation,
grows ont Of misunderstanding. The
Northern people have not understood the
situation in the South. and hence their
stupid meddling According to the Out
look. the Southern States have done right
to exclude ignorant and thriftless negroes
from the franchise, and the only com
plant that he makes is that Ignorant
white men are not treated in the same
way. But even that complaint would not
be II men like Or. Abbott thoroughly
understood the situation Here In Vir-
ginia we have opened the doors to all
the whites of this generation; we have
given them all day in court, because
we believe that the whites ought to be
put on a permanent roll, for the reason
that the country was but late impoyer-
ished by war. for the reason that many
men have not had the opportunity tc
educate themselves. and again for thu
reason that whether technically educated
or not, the great majority of the white
men of Virginia, BY inheritance and by
training. are qualified to vote. II ]!
absurd to compare these men. man fo
man. with the negroes
Many negroes have been admitted t
THE suffrage. and we have no doubt tina
every one who is fit to vote has beer
admitted, After this year. however,
there VIII be absolutely no sort of dis
elimination. We viii have straight-ou
educational test, and the negro and III
white man will stand on the same foot
ms. There VIII he no discrimination 70
pr against either,