The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1914-05-15
Let Us Not Deceive Ourselves.

Stripped of the four-ply tommyrot
in which it is encased, what does all
this insistence that "no white man
be prevented from voting in the pri-
mary" mean?
1t means, if it means anything, that
South Carolina favors the perpetual
tion of ignorance, or illiterary, as a
factor in politics.
Nearly twenty years ago we adopt
ed constitution requiring that after
period of two years had elapsed
after January /, 1898) white men
should be prevented from votsAsyfpsf1
les they should be able to read and
write or unless they paid taxes on
$500 worth of property.
There was no necessity for placing
that requirement in the constitution
unless the people wished to make
reading and writing qualification
for suffrage.
Meanwhile the primary is the gen.
eral election-though it was not the
real election before the constitutional
convention met in 1895.
Both in the elections of 1914 and
1890 prominent white Democrats
were candidates for governor in the
general election against the regular
Democratic nominees. The constitu-
tlon makers did not then regard the
primary as necessarily the deciding
election.
Year after year, the primary be-
and, in time, we drifted into the atti.
fn1n nf fo1yNrsrpr fha rn~oo1 of ha
constitutional suffrage qualifications,
80 far as the white men are concerned
by admitting illiterates to the pri-
mary.
The constitution makers of 1895
intended to remove illiteracy from the
State by making illiteracy a qualifica-
ton for suffrage after 1898.
Now The State, at this time IS ure-
ing only that the primary be made a
fair and honest one, and the admis-
sion of illiterates is not irreconcilable
with that aim in view.
But let us not deceive ourselves.
To see that no white men are ex-
cluded from the primary is to invite
llliterates to participate in the pri-
mary and that is not merely to be
Kind to those who are now of age and
llliterate but to encourage the idea
that white youths and boys growing
up may safely remain illiterate.
The position that is being taken by
many Democrats is reputation of
the constitution made by Democrats
OF all factions and shades of political
complexion in 1895; it is notification
and betrayal of it in respect of its
principal work agreed upop with
practical unanimity by all it's white
Democratic members. 1t is to apolo.
glze for our own handiwork and t,
spit upon it.
The constitution makers in 1895 de.
liberately and with great care framed
plan to eliminate white iIliteracy
from the State.
Now numbers of white Democrats
deliberately advocate a plan to en-.
courage and perpetuate white litter.
acy in the State.
AT the same time this latter plar
works to the steady and rapid elm.
nation of negro illiteracy from the
State.
Let us keep illiteracy in the pri.
mary If from weak good nature we
so wish or if we lack the grit to expe
it, but don't let us fool ourselves In,
the belief that we are doing some
thing handsome or generous or kline
or patriotic.
Let us look the naked fact i'm the
race that we are promoting the rear.
ing OF another generation of Hitter
ates-that we are helping to iniurt
and handicap many thousands ol
! white lads now growing up in South