The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-09-22
REMARKABLE ADMISSION
Listen to This: Can He Read and
Write?" II Did Not Examine Him. y
How About the Constitution 2" 81
Have Never Examined Anybody
About It."


Have Never Examined Anybody
About It."
Eleven negroes have already been regis
tered in the second division of the third
ward for the anti-saloon election to be
held in Raleigh on the sixth of October.
And not one of them has been registered
according to law Some of them may be
entitled to register, but it is not believed
that all of them can read and write Re
ports came to the News and Observer yes
terday that Mr.. Walter o. Scott, the reg
ister in that division, had registered one
negro who did not know from bulls
foot" and was registering other negroes
without requiring them to show them
selves capable of reading the Constitution
of the State.
Two members of the staff of this paper
called to see Mr.. Scott at his store last
night to investigate the report. 1t was
ascertained that already eleven negroes
had registered.
Of John Poe?'' Mr. Scott was asked
II did," he replied
did you examine him to ascertain ii
he could read the Constitution of the
State?" he was asked.
Il did not" said Mr.. Scott. "Re read
something in a newspaper and I register
cd him."
did you register a negro by the narae
of George High?'' he was asked
Il did," said Mr.. Scott.
Can he read and writer"
Il do not know" was the reply / did
not examine him.
do you not examine all those who
cannot register under the grandfather
clause to see if they can read the Con.
stitution as the law reouires?"
Il do not. have -cver seen the Con-
stitution of the Stat and I have never
examined anybody about it. l just asked
the negroes if they could read and write.
If they said yes, | administered the oath
to them and put them on the registration
books"
Mr.. Scott went on to say that he did
not know that he law required negro
voters to be examined by him as to their
ability to red and write and to read the
Constitution of the State in the English
language; that he didn't have a copy of
the Constitution, and had not examined
single voter who mad made application to
register to test his ability to read the
Constitution.
II all the registrars are pursuing this
!. course, ufeK the Constitutional Amend
\meRt.efsn't worth the paper it is written
on and the whole male negro population
of taxpayers, regardless of whether they
know ''b" from bulls foot will be put
on the registration books and the Revo-
luton of 1898 viii have been in vain.
This matter is called to the attention OF
the public and the city authorities, be-
cause it is a matter of the highest I'M
portance to preserve the amendment in
violate. The City Attorney should at
once be required by the aldermen to furn-
ish each registrar with a copy of the Con-
'stitution and give him in writing full iu-
structons as to how he should test tie
fitness of negroes to register. 1t seems
from Mr.. Scotts statement that they
have received no instructions and that
the constitutional Amendment has no
binding effect
OF course there are few negroes in
Raleigh who are qualified to register, and
they should be registered, however desira-
bic it is to submit all these questions to
white electorate. But the idea that a
registrar In the city of Raleigh can annul
the Constitution of the State in an anti
liquor election >is one that will astound
the people of this city and State.
For the information of Mr. Scott and aii
other registrars there is printed below this
extract from section u. chapter SO. Laws
of 1901, governing registration:
Every person presenting himself
for registration shall be able to read
and write any section of the COnstltu
ton in the English language. and
shall show to the satisfaction of the
registrar his ability to read and write
any such section WHEN HE APPLIES
FOR REGISTRATION AND BEFORE
HE is REGISTERED.
This applies only to those voters who
cannot register under the grandfather
clause. No educational test can be re-
quired of them.
Those negroes who are registering who
are not able to read the Constitution of
the State are liable to be sent to prison
not less than six months or more than
twelve mohths and to be fined not less
than S100 nor more than $500 The tenn
peranee forces in Raleigh viii enforce the
law to the letter and will not permit ilie-
gal voting to defeat their determination
TO shut up the twenty-four saloons in the
city OF Raleigh.
Registrars should be fully instructed as