Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-08-07

AS an evidence of the frankness with
which southern people go about multi
flying Il section of the federal consti-
tuition it will be interesting to read the
following scare head, front page news
story from the Atlanta Journal:
The Williams Fielder negro dis
REIMBURSEMENT bill was passed by the
state senate Wednesday afternoon at
l2:45 o'clock, after debate ex-
tending turnout two sessions. The
vote was 81 to 6. or Z more than a
constitutional majority. The measure
was passed practically as it came
from the senate committee, and none
of its important provisions were elm
mated by amendments. tho many were
offered. President Akin, who favors
the bill. did not vote.
Patterned after the suffrage plank
of the Alabama constitution, the bill
is designed to disfranchise the vena
ignorant illiterate and vicious ne
gro preserving to the white man the
right of suffrage, regardless of edu-
cational or property qualifications. 1t
conforms to the suffrage plank of
the Macon platform. and meets
squarely the demands of the people
as Indicated in the recent guberna-
torial campaign.
The passage of the bill indicates
the prevailing sentiment of ma
jorty of the legislature to make
good their promises, to the epople.
1t presages the ultimate success of
practically all of the reform egis-
lation required by the platform and
demanded by the people, and shows
that the upper house of the general
assembly is in thorough sympathy
with the present administration.
AS an evidence OF the deep inter-
est felt in the measure every menu
Der of the state senate was present
Wednesday morning when the de-
bate on the bill was resumed as I'M
finished business, and every man was
on hand when the vote was taken.
There was no lodging, no trimming
on the part of any senator.
The bill fixes as a prerequisite to
the right to vote certain require
ments or qualifications. which it is
known every white man in the state
can meet, but which few of the ne,
groes will be able to comply with.
AS it's name indicates, II is dis
REIMBURSEMENT measure, and will dis
franchise the negroes, or very
large per cent of them.
In order to vote a man must own
or pay tax on $500 worth of prop
erty, or be able to read and write a
paragraph of the constitution of the
state or the nation.
If he cannot comply with these
provisions-and few negroes can -
he is entitled to register and vote if
he is descended from any man who
fought in any of the wars in which
the United States or the Confederate
states has participated.
Lastly. he is entitled to register
and vote if he has a proper concep-
ton of his duty to his state and the
nation.
Under the last named provisions
every white man in Georgia will reg
ister and, once registered he will
have a life certificate, and will then
have only to pay his taxes to enjoy
the right of suffrage.
The bill, as it passed the senate,
will be Immediately transmitted to
the house, and there it will be read
a second time and referred at once
to the committee on constitutional
amendments, where it will be con-
sidered Friday afterncc
In the southern states the proper
conception Of ones duty to his state"
is to be born white