Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1906-05-01

franchise on an educational basis
which, as [ am going to show you,
would not only disfrsuchise thousands
of good white citizens in Georgia, but
admit to the ballot box the votes of
many thousands more of educated me-
Rroes, bringing the negro again in to
politics from which he is now abso-
lntely excluded in this state, making
the negro vote balance of power and
meaning return TO the turbulent and
trying days of reconstruction times"
The grandfather clause as adopted
in North Carolina, aud other fraudu-
lent expedIente, Mr.. Howell showed,
would never stand the test Of the Su-
preme Court of the United States and
would thus prove wholly inc ff9ctive
for the purpose for which they were
intended-the protection of The Hitter
ate white vote. North Carolina recog-
nizing this fac, provided in the same
amendment to its constitution, that
the grandfather clause should expire
on January /, 1908, before the courts
could have opportunity to pass on it,
and at that time North Carolina goes
to a strictly educational busis when
the ureducated white man must stand
by, powerless, and see the edncated
n gro cast his ballot.
ALREADY L am nfJrmed," MIR.
Howell said, Shy promlnen North
Caro!inianF, among them Assistant
General Manager Hughes of the Bah
cock Lumber Co., of Babcock. Ga
where spoke few days ago, that the
white peopls Of tlat state are begin
ming to dividr, and the two factions
are playing now to catch the educated
negro vote when the time comes that
will make it available for political pur-
poses
"What then must be the inevitable
ref ult Of such legislation in thi, state?
L would mean the disfranchisement of
no less than 36, 900 good white citizens !
in this state, every one of whom today |
has the power of the ballot, and the |
enf'aDchisement of more than twice as |
many educated negroes not one of |
whom under our system of today, can |
vote"
Mr., Howell showed that under the |
present system in force in Georgia,
not single negro enjoys the privi-
lege If the ballot. The constitutional
prCvi-ion requiring the payment of all
taxes since the adoption of the consti-
tuition of 1877, coupled with the white
primary system, has more tffectuslly |
diff anchlsed the negro in Georgia |
than could possibly be done by any
d sfranchIsement law that could be
passed. Georgia has already disfran-
chised the negro by the only legal
me hod and the grave danger lies in
substituting for this method a new, a
doubtful and an illegal system.
Thousands of our old Confederate
Veterans, and have it from the Pen
sion Commissioner, John W. Lindsey
himself" Mr.. Howell said, shave to
sign their applications for pensions
with cross mark. Pass this law and |
You will say to these old fellows who,
dropping their grammar and spelling
books shouldered their muskets and
went out to fight the battle of their
country, and who returning to find
their homes in ashes and their country
desolated went TO work to b1lld it up
again. You shall pay your taxes and
stand your part of the public burden,
but when it comes to saying VINO shall
make your laws and who shall levy
those taxes, you shall have no more
right than the barking dog that wakes
the stiffness of the night"
There are more negro male children
in school in Georgia today than there
are white children, Mr.. Howell showed.
The very agitation Of this dlsfran-
chisement question has had the effecs
of increasing the attendance on the ne |
gro schools. The many negro colleges
on the hllltops around Atlanta sup
ported by northern philanthropists, |
have greater endowments and turn out |
more graduates every year than all the |
white institutions of higher education,
male and female com bined. These
negroes are all preparing themselves
for the day when the ballot shall be
placed in the hands of the educated
black,
Mr.. Howell showed that labor con-
ditions in Georgia are in a more dis
turbed state today, particularly on the
farms. than they have ever been be- |
fore, and nothing has contributed |
more to this disturbance than has the |
agitation OF the Acknowledgement ques-
tion during the past year.
"Why should we even consider the
question OF changing true and tried
system, the very mention of which
has brought evils upon us, at time
when white supremacy is more firmly
established IN every county and every
section of the state than ever before
since the days of reconstruction?" Mr.. |
Howell asked
''Let me tell you where those who
are most loudly advocating this pro-
position stood only a few years ago,
There was Mr.. Thomas e, Watson who
SAID few years ago that the Anglo
Saxon who would stand up and advo-
cate disfranchisement in Georgia on
she ground that we are in danger of
negro domination, was an Internal cow
ard. And but little more than year
ago Mr.. Watson denounced this "phan-
tasm cl the danger of negro domina.
tion," as a delusion and a humbug,