Durant weekly news. (Durant, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 190?-1944, 1915-07-02
GOVERNOR WILLIAMS EVOLVES
A NEW GRANDFATHER CLAUSE
New Provisions win EffcctuaIly
Bring Same Result A. Was In
tended Co he Attained by
New Constitutional
Provision.

Governor Williams has been pom
terdering over the decision Of the Un-
tied states Supreme Court as to the
grandfather clause" Just as the
Missouri Compromise. which was la.
ter declared TO have been wrong in
principle. served purpose in pre-
serving the Union, so has the grand.
father clause been OF great benefit
TO the state Of Oklahoma during,he
formative periud Of the policies OF
the State. he SAYS 1t has served a
good purpose and IS viewed in its
passing as having been worth while.
oklahoma has been educating its
negroes" said Governor Williams.
"and the result IS seen in the greater
literacy among the younger people of
the colored race We have good
common schools for the negroes. and
in addition they have an agricultural
and normal university and several
institutions for the care OF defec-
tives. and now the state is building
a reform school for hayward boys Of
that race.
Education Of the negro in this
State has gone forward while the
state. was enforcing restriction
against suffrage that was salutary in
It's effects. regardless Of the fact that
it is now declared 10 have been in
violation of the fundamental law Of
the land. The State has added much
to the capacity Of it's colored citizens
and 50 has tlded over a neriod that
was fraught with danger by limiting
the franchise to those who had at
tainments sufficient to Justify their
using It. The Missouri Compromise
did good in its time. and the danger
TO the Union was in part past when
the theory was exploded"
While he is not committed to the
plan. Governor Williams advanced
the theory that an effective franchise
limitation that would serve every
purpose which had been sought by
the grandfather clause" could be
framed by the States that have need
of such provision by making a liter
acy test such as that Oklahoma had
sought to enforce. with exceptions to
cover persons and their descendants
who participated on the side of the
Colonies in the war of the Revolu-
ton: who participated in the war OF
1912; in the war with Mexico on
either side; in the war between the
States on the part of the Union; in
the war with Spain; and persons who
are members OF the National Guard.
An analysis OF this limitation will
disclose that it will reach most of
the illiterate negroes. Governor Will
liams is convinced that it would meet
the test of the Supreme Court, and he
has an idea that it would be a good
provision for the Southern States to
insert in their Constitutions.
Interest in the decision OF the Su-
preme Court in the grandfather
clause" is tagging in this State. and
the decision has not caused much
comment since the first day. II the
Legislature of Oklahoma shall be as
sembled in special session on the rev.
enue matters. which seems probable.
there is no doubt that Governor Will
liams will submit to them the cleo
tion question. II may be that some
amendment to the Constitution, such
as outlined. may be attempted. 1t Is
probable that some sort OF general
literacy test without exceptions will
be enacted by the Legislature If they
shall meet.