The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-02-18

Carolina and Of the United States OF
America exercise the right to vote ?
/ had no desire to poke my nose into
southern affairs but was anxious to
know why this is so. I tried to find
out. asked quite number of blacks
including one intelligent colored
preacher and few intelligent whites
and got no satisfactory answer. Both
whites and blacks knew in a vague
indefinite sort Of way that the bla X
man did NOT measure up to some re-
quirement OF the constitution of South
Carolina but no one could tell me
Just what these requirements wers.
Both white and black seem to have
settled down to the fact that black
man cannot vote in Charleston and
the question of his voting seems no
longer in issue. But in view OF this
above articles of the United States
constitution. why is this SO? Baked
in my efforts to find the exact cause.
] went to the Office of prominent
lawyer to whom I had been intro,
duced and asked permission to see
| the constitution of South Carolina.
He handed 1t to me. I opensi 1t and
Tread the constitution OF 1895 on SUI
frage and found that article III. sec
ton Nv, requires as a condition OF
suffrage only residence in state two
ysars, In county one year, Id voting
precinct six months and payment Of
poll tax" Nothing against the black
| face. A further section on registra-
| ton permits registration to vote only
to those of voting age who can read
any section of the constitution or I'M
derstand it and explain it when read
to them Up to January, 1893, ana
after January, 1898, If the voter can
| both read and write any section or
can show that he owns and has paid
all taxes on $4,000 or more of prop
1 erty.'
There is no denying Of registration
/ to ths black man on account OF color
and the condition for both voting and
! registering apply to the black face
and white face alike. Hence, the
constitution of South Carolina seems
not in conflict with the above two
articles of this United States consti-
tuition. There are colored men in
4 Charleston who can both read ana
write a section Of the constitution.
and others WHO Gown and have paid
all taxes on 100000 or more Of prop
erty" and yet none vote. And again
why? l think caught the reason.
!
Whites Control Machinery.
!, The machinery of control is all in
the hands OF the whites. If black
man presents himself for registration
the white man decides that he can
not ''read and write" or that he has
not the 100000 and Is therefore re
Ejected. If white man appears fol
registration, any kind OF stagger Is
reading and writing and the white
official puts him down as qualified
, The white officer is the sole judge
, and the black is left OFF and tn,
!, white put on the registry list. TIL,
negro seems satisfied with his lot ant
the whites and blacks seem to like
: each other and get along pleasant,
together. The street cars have pla
: cards "Colored people to the rear
:. whites to the front" The hotels
cars, depots, etc, discriminate as t,
! color and the black man everywh or,
:. distinctly understands that his colo
. lis badge of inferiority. He seem
: to cheerfully accept his condition an,
: on the streets raises his hat to TIL,
: white face as to superior being
With such environment when will h
: ever rise above his present condition
: There is another side to this question
:. :. which would be glad to present II
: q later article.
!. Yours very truly,
WILLIAM BAII4INGER.
II Keokuk, Iowa, Feb. II, 1914.