Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-08-24
THE CAROLINAS
BY r. WILLIAMS
FORMER WELL KNOWN KEB MIN.
Err TELLS OF THE LAWS OF
NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA

1t is we'll said that one-half Of
the world don't know thing about
the other half. This is true as one can
find by taking a trip south and exam
lining their laws There are two of
them we will call attention to In this
letter. the law to be voter in North
and South Carolina is known as the
voter must read and write the consti-
This law has another feature about 1t,
that is in case voter has read the con-
stitution the judges has right to sub
\ init to him an oral question as fol-
! lows: Garfield township situated in
\ Mahaska county, state Of Iowa and he
is requested to write. this down and
submit the copy to the election board
to pass on it. If he falls to dot an or
cross a t, he is disfranchised This
law is only enforced on the colored
man and the result only two out of
seven vote, as they are caught both
going and coming. The writer called
on Mr. Watson, the father Of this law
in his office at Charlotte, North Caro-
lima and found him to be very pleas
this law. In the course Of our conversa-
I ton as to 1t being a just and fair law
/ he said 1t was not a question as to
what Is right or what Is wrong, It was
simply a question as to who should
rule in the south, believing an open
confession good for the SOUL The ara
gurnent on this question closed here.
The writer in company with q num-
Der of white men attended colored
wedding in a Baptist church in CASTOR
county one night While waiting for
the service to begin, we entered into
conversation as to, this law. OF course
@all believed it to be just law, as it
related to the colored man. The ques-
Etion was asked Of twelve men, Did you
ever read the constitution? No, never
saw 1t. Were you, ever asked at the
polls II you had read it? No, it Is only
INTENDED to be asked TO the colored
man. Hence, the solid democratic
south as only one-half of the people
voted there and this same law II en-
forced in Iowa would disfranchise ono
half of the voters in the state.
The Road Law.
The other law we wish to call the
1 attention Of the Courier readers to is
1.-THE road law, and their system of
building good roads. One is the chain
Aang, the other Is bonding the county
pr stipulated amount to be used as
2 road fund alone. This is done by a
pecial election held for the purpose.
Fin Arson county. N. c. We attended
ione of these elections where the coun-
4 was bonded for two hundred thou
and dollars. This was in Castor coun-
ty. In both cases it carried by a large
majority. This Is done as taxation for
road purposes and proved to be fiat
failure there. The chain gang is COM
posed of Aconvicts sentenced by the
court for the violation of the law. Ac-
cording to the criminal laws there a
misdeameanor is constituted crime
that merits ten years in the peniten-
Ssiary,aa felony more than ten in the
Il oenitentiary. Hence If a man Is sem
enced to eleven months and twenty
Ss.line days it comes under the head IT
misdemeanor and he is sent to the
lain gang to work on the roads. On
ftting to the gang he is given a suit
striped clothes as worn by all coy
lets. He then has a chain eighteen
hoes long fastened around each ankle
nd chain four feet long with ring
the end fastened in the center. This
hangs up on his belt while at work