The Cairo bulletin., 1904-12-11

faf Van Wyck. FIR many years ~
has grown rich blackmailing big car
porations. peddling legi lation and
compelling officials TO apply TO a fam
lily bonding company to secure bonds
| Without any exception. Tom Plat has
been the greatest enemy OF popular
government and the most corrupt pol.
itician In America.
yet this Is the man who introduc-
cs measure in the. senate TO cut
down the representation OF the
south.
THE Plat bin propasess.o cut down
the representation of Alabama from
nine to seven. Nov, uhder the consti
tuition of the United States, represent
alton can be Gu. down when a state
has passed law restricting the suf
frage on account of race. color or
previous condition. There Is no such
law on The Alabama statute books
A voter there must possess $500
worth of property and must have paid
his taxes: but We are not aware that
any discrimination lss made between
blacks and whites,
"The representation Of Arkansas Is
to be reduced from seven to six. Yet
there Is no Acknowledgement law
whatever in Arkansas. Any man.
white or black, who has paid his poll
tax. can vote.
North Carolina is to be reduced
from even 10 five In that state n
voter must pay his poll tax, must be
able to read or write, any section OF
the state constitution. or must own
$500 worth of property. The Law
makes no distinction on account of
color; and under The most farfetchet
construction il could not be saia 10
disfranchise any man on account Of
his color.
Georgia is 10 be reduced from elcy.
en- TO eight. yet Georgia only requires |
tina. voter shall have paid his taxes
since 1877. Certainly there is no dis.
reimbursement of negroes IN, such
provision on account of their color
Mississippi is TO be reduced from |
eight to TX. because under her law |
,nly those can vote who can read or
understand the constitution when
~ead to them. Is there any distlne
ion against the negro in tnat state?
Ihe Supreme court ..of tho United4
States has failed to find t.
Il Tennessee is to be- cat down fponS
'en to nine. Are here any laws re.
strictins the franchle in Tenncsseeg
None whatever. A voter according to
The constitution adopted about thirty |
years ago, mut pay his poll tax. This
applies to white and black. The sc
ret ballot applies to a few of the
more popnous counties, but any reg
stored voter who has paid his poll
TAX can &c ballot aud vote.
Virginia is to be cut down from
zen to eight; yet there is no law re
stricting suffrage on account OF color
N that state. From the LIST of Janu-
airy, 1905, any person who prior to
the adoption of the constitution eerv.
ed in time of war in the army or navy
Of the United States, or the Confeder-
ate States, can vote A person who .
has paid as much as 81 of state taxes
can vote. person who is able to read /
the constitution can vote. Beginning
with 1905 a poll tax must be paid. I
There is alb olutely nothing in the vir- .
ginla law that dislranchlses anyone (
on account OF his color.
Texas is to be reduced from six. !
teen 10 fifteen, though there are no re. 4
s'rictions whatever on the ballot in
that state on account of color.
I'm two states, Louisiana and North {
Carolina. which are to be reduced re. (
spectiveIy from seven to five and ten
to eight, there prevails what IS call /
ed the grandfather or squaw clause /
yet even in those states where, if any |