Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1912-07-05


 tralian ballot system than they would be if permitted to vote under the "Grandfather clause" The counties thickly populated with negroes all voted against the "Grandfather clause in the state convention and the negroes of the state generally op- pose it. There is no ill feeling now between the negroes of Arkansas and their superiors, the white people. They are better treated and have more privileges than anywhere else in the world and when they violate laws they know that they must suffer the conse quences.
 There is absolutely no reason for a | Grandfather clause in Arkansas. Oklahoma has had it's troubles over the new-fangled election law and lief ferson county in past years has seen troublesome times and unsettled con- pied whites to put the negro forward in politics. The negro suffered se- verely as tools of these white men and they never accomplished any good for themselves or their leaders.
 Governor Donaghey is evidenly sin cere in his utterances, but he cannot appreciate the position in which he would place the negroes of Arkan- sas if the "Grandfather clause was adopted
 As far as Jefferson county is con- cerned the illegal election and fraudu lent voting is a thing of the past. The ballot has been purified here and fairness has characterized every pri mary and election in recent years. In his statement Governor Donaghey says:
 .I am in favor of the passage of the grandfather clause amendment to the Constitution. From every viewpoint it is better to eliminate the negro from politics. In the South, racial conditions will not permit of his en- gazing in politics. Several states in the South have the grandfather clause It is better for the negro, be- cause when he does not engage in pol itics he will cease to antagonize the white man, can look better after his own affairs, and in every other way obtain a better recognition.
 '"Then, so long as we do not permit the negro to vote anyway. why not do it legally, instead of by the process of intimidation? II is true that there are a few negroes who ought to te per mitted to vote, but as a race it would unquestionably be bad policy to per init their voting by the wholesale
 Statistics show there are in the neighborhood Of a hundred thousand negroes Of voting age in Arkansas. If one of them is entitled to a vote, all are. This numaer would be sufficient to carry any election in the state. In Jefferson county alone there are about six thousand negroes of voting age. and three thousand white voters. The same ratio exists in many other counties of the state
 By all means let us pass this amendment to the Constitution, and then let us have absolutely fair elec- tons between white men. Let every white mans vote he counted just as he votes it. AS the matter stands now the State Board of Election Commits sioners is worried to death all the time just prior to elections hy com mittees and factions from the black districts of the state Wantins the ap- pointment of certain election commits sioners, the excuse being that the Democratic ticket is imperiled because of the excessive number of negros in those districts. As matter of fact, the real purpose is to deny the negro the legal right which he now has to vote
 Again, this practice has been car ried on until il has not stopped with the negro, but has been extended by the dominant factions to the counting out of white mon votes.
 Let us he sincere and honest in what we are doing be open and fair, and state openly what We intend to do"
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 -Z. V. Ashcraft, who underwent an operation yesterday at the Davis Hos