Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-07-05
REPUDLATE THE BRISTOW
AMENDMENT; IT'S DANGEROUS.

The lower house of the Georgia legislature has
done we'll to adopt the resolution by Mr.. Alexander
of DeKalb calling for careful investigation of the
Bristow amendment both regards the manner in
which it has been proposed by Congress and the mat
ter It contains Such an inquiry. believe will lay
bare the peril which this amendment holds for the
protective suffrage laws of Georgia and her sister
states of the South and will mark the beginning of
widespread movement toward It's merited defeat
More than this, it may confirm the opinion that
the amendment has not really received the legal
sanction of Congress Mr.. Alexander raises the In
terestng point that. according to the records, the
resolution to submit this amendment to the states
did not receive the vote of twohrds Of the members
of the Congress- but the vote Of only two-thrds OF
those present; nothing less than full twothirds, he
contends can constitute the majority required for
submitting changes in the constitution
However this particular issue may be determined,
the amendment itself is SO obviously dangerous to
the rights Of the individual states and particularly to
those Of Southern states that it should meet the
prompt reputation of every legislature in this Sec
ton. And Georgia should lead the way.
AS The Journal has frequently pointed out the
South has long believed in the popular election Of
United States senators. Indeed, she has put her
belief into practice. For the Democratic primary In
Georgia and neghboring states is equivalent to an
elections it is through such primaries that our
senators are chosen, by direct vote Of the people.
The legislature simply attests and ratfes prefer
declared at the polls. We have nothing to gain,
therefore even from the constructive elements Of the
proposed Bristow amendment; for already enjoy
whatever good there may be in THIS plan
Why then, should Georgia any other Southern
state ratify proposition that will add nothing to
the popular rights they possess but which will
strike at the very root of of the most essential
rights thew have laboriously estabifshed7
For the South at least, the distinctive feature Of
the Bristow amendment is not that it provides for
the election Of senators by direct vote of the
ple but that it robs the individual states of their
authority to say what these elections shall
be held and what the qualifications for suffrage
shall be.
We grant that this is not avowed explicit in
the Brstow amendment, but it is certainly implied
and at the very least it is an alarming possibility.
Whether partisan majority in Congress would ever
override the suffrage regulations of Southern state
may be debatabe but there be question that this
amendment offers us no assurance to the contrary;
and it is perilous thing to bestow power the
theory that it will never be exercised
When Mr.. Bristow's proposition was before the
House Congressman Bartlett of Georgia, offered a
qualifying amendment which asserted that Congress
should not have the power to provide for the quah
cation of voters within the various states to
thOrlZe the appointment SUPERVISORS OF eectOnS,
judges of elections returning boards certify the
results of any such elections; authorize the
of United States marshals the military forces
or troops of the United States at the polls during
election. 1t is a significant fact that Congressman
Bristow himself strenuously fought this qualifying
amendment and succeeded in defeating it.
If his proposition does not contemplate or make
possible the exercise of such power the South has
to fear why did he refuse to accept amend
ment which would have specifically protected
states and have spprehensions at rest?
The truth is IL the Bristow amendment is ratified,
the South's suffrage laws enacted a safeguard
against the corrupt and ignorant vote of the negro
would be exposed to the possible attack of Republi-
can majority in Congress they could be
under existing regulations. When senators
elected, they are, by the legislature any In
Quiry that Congress might be disposed to make into
particular election would be limited to legislature,
that body constituting the electors But under the
Bristow plan such inquiry would proceed directly
to the ballot box and would concern itself with the
qualifications of the voters at the polls; and just
there it would eopardize the integrity of the negro
Acknowledgement laws.
Let the members Of the General Assembly of
Georgia ponder well this fact
Let them remember that when this pernicious
amendment was presented in Congress, the Southern
delegations voted against it almost a unit
Let them reflect that in Georgia we already have
whatever advantages such an amendment might
offer; that in effect our senator's are now chosen by
the people.
Let them take a timely lead and sound a note
of warning that will ring around the South, and stir
sister states to united resistance against this
menace to their welfare and freedom
The Alexander resolution is one of the most i'm
portant that has ever come before the legislature
The committee to be appointed to investigate the
Bristow amendment should perform its task thor
oughly and speedily as is possible. AS to what it's
report will be the matter of this amendment there
be little doubt Let the action Of the General AS
sembly follow without delay and the entire South,
we believe, will arise and crush this danger to its
rights
Our idea of an optimist is a man who saves lit