New-York tribune., 1910-01-02
"oNETHIRTY-sEcoND" CLAUSE.

AS originally drawn, the bill, now the
anti-concubinage law. contained a clause
stating that a person who is as much as
one-thirty-SecOBd part negro shall be- for
the purpose of this act, q person OF the
negro race Rigidly enforced that clause
would have played havoc There are men
high IN political life who would have been
hit-even certain legislators who support
ed and voted for the bill. am reliably in
formed. 1t is we'll known fact that one
OF the best Democratic Senators Louisiana
ever had-he was proud social figure in
Washington-would have been declared a
negro under such a law.
and vet one-thirty- second is TO be the
dead line. ". o. Hart, leading attorney
OF New Orleans and member or the com
mission which is codifying the laws Of
Louisiana, assures me that he and his
associates have agreed upon it and that
no opposition from the new Legislature
is expected.
In Alabama any person of African de-
scent, no matter how remote the black
ancestor. is cOlored person or negro, and
there is no movement 10 change the Law;
just across the line in Georgia one may be
as much as one-sixteenth black and still
be legally white.
This gives fair idea OF the lack OF
uniformity of laws on the subject in the
South. They bid fair to be made 10
harmonic, however the thinking and
public spirited people OF that section are
becoming thoroughly aroused 10 the fact
that political predominance for the whites
and separate railroad coaches for the
blacks. already assured beyond recall. are
only stepping stones on the rocky road to
permanent Caucasian purity
Irar1y 49,
law took the people or Louisiana by the
ears and gave Dame Gossip the centre OF
the stage AT select gatherings family
skeletons were trotted out by the whole
sale and speculation as 10 results was the
favorite pastirne. The case OF a brother
of a former United States Senator who
married an ectoroon in the Reconstruction
days, when such alliance was lawful
and whose son enjoys a certain amount
Of social recognition in New Orleans.
though the parents are strictly under the
ban. was recalled. the seamy side OF the
old Creole days was turned toward the
light in order that the children might gaze
upon the sins of the fathers and-rsYrain
from repeating those sins.
II was told Of one man who became SO
Interested in the enforcement OF the law
that he searched for the hrst time the
which he was baptized In order 70 gather
evidence for the prosecution of certain
persons whom he believed to be eoIored,
though they passed as white Opposite
the name OF his own grandfather he saw
the telitaie letters 7. m. c. free man OF
color. He burned the record sold his
plantation and left Louisiana forever
a similar search OF the parochiaI ar
ehives is said TO have been responsible
some years ago for the removal OF enc
Of the leading bankers or New Orleans TO
New York He is a big fgure in Wall
Street to-day.
a pitifui tale was told me of two
brothers and a sister. bearers OF one or
the foremost names In the state-cultured.
charming and wealthy One Of the
brothers. proud and sensitive. came across
the fact that he had a Santo DOMINICAN
ancestor whose children we're Registered
z IN. c. The pocr fellow became i ravins
maniac. He gave vent 20 his discovery
throughout the parish. To-day he
languishes in a madhouse; his sister, a
rarely beautiful girl just cut of her teens.
is making an indefinite stay In Europe,
and the other brother is still on the plan
tation as much believed and As cordially
received as before by his boyhood friends
but broken hearted and barred forever
from contracting marriage among the
very people who have known him longest
and esteem his most.
The nrsI convictions to attract atten-
ton and to convince the public that il