The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-09-27
Too Many Negroes are Reg
istered for Dispensary
Election.
MANY ARE CHALLENGED
Judges of Election Should REQUIRE Negroes TO
Prove Ability 10 Read and Write Well,
or Deny Them The Right
10 Vote,

Is the Constitutional Amendment to be
set at naught in the capital of the tSate?
Are the fruits of the Political Revolution
of 1898 and 1900 to be lost in Raleigh be
some people wish more liquor?
These are pertinent inquiries which con-
Germ every white man in Raleigh. They
are questions of vital Importance to every
man who stood for White Supremacy
when it was jeopardized.
Yesterday and on other days during last
week, in the registration on the dispen-
sary election, negroes have been put on
the books who were refused registration
dared to try to vote until since the Con-
stitutional Amendment was adopted. And
the worst part of it is that some men call
ing themselves Democrats have procured
the registration of negroes in order to get
them to vote on their side in the dispen-
sary election. In some wards, the names
of negroes have been put on the registra-
ton books upon their mere assertion that
they could read and write the constitu-
ton in the English language, and in other
instances negroes have been registered
who have the barest smattering of an ed
ucation, merely because they could spell
out few sentences in the constitution.
In few instances were the test of writing
fully insisted upon to test their compo-
tency, and in some other instances the ex-
animation was the merest force.
What is the result? Negroes, who are
not legally qualified have been placed
upon the registration books and they ex-
pect to vote in the election on Monday of
next week. There are negroes in Raleigh
who are qualified by the educational test
to vote. Nobody seeks to deny them
their legal right, but the law requires that
they shall prove their ability to read and
write the Constitution of the State in the
English language. 1t is no hardship upon
any qualified voter to require him to
stand the examination. The law requires
it and the registrars have sworn to obey
the law.
There seems to be lameatable misun-
derstanding upon the part of some regis
trars as to what constitutes ability to read
and write. 1t is reported that some wards
registrars have registered negroes who
could read section slowly and painfully
like boy learning to read The law does
not contemplate that man shall be a col
lege graduate to be permitted to vote. but
it doe srequire that he shall have an aver
age education and be able to read and
write well. Any other construction is to
make farce of the test imposed with the
express purpose of DISTINGUISHING ignorant
negro voters. 1t was to make an educa-
tional qualification for negro voters. The
qualification is rendered null and void if
negroes are permitted to vote who can
merely spell out a few sentences and write
a little They must do it well, if the law
is to be of any value. In some instances
no doubt registrars no doubt committed
error in registering negroes not qualified
because they did not understand that abil-
ity to read and Write means that the APP
plicant must be able to read and write like
a well read man-not like scholar but in
a way to show that they possess the ne
cessary intelligence to discharge the
duties OF CiJlZenSnlp. Between now ana
election day registrars who have made
the mistake of registering negroes not
qualified in the true meaning of the law
should study the law, inquire how it has
been applied in the past, and seek to
know the true and legal construction.
The best way to obtain such construction
is to make inquiry of the leaders who en-
acted the law and to inquire how former
registrars have continued it.
Quite number of negroes who have
been registered have been challenged on
the ground that they cannot read and
write in manner that represents that
they possess enough education to vote
lnteligently. The judges of election,
when they come to consider the chat
lenges should construe the law as intend
ed by It's trainers. Everybody knows that
such construction will permit no negro
to vote unless his ability to read and
write demonstrate that he has the proper
educational qualification If he has the
necessary qualification to vote intelligent
ly by showing sufficient education. he
should be allowed to vote, no matter
whether he votes for dspensary or for
the saloon. But if he just merely can
read and write like beginner, then lie
should not be permitted to vote. That
is the lawful and proper construction to
be placed upon the educational test re-
CURED by law.
This is question that far transcends