The Denver star., 1916-11-11
By w. E. BURGHARDT DUBOIS.

The best and most defensible Of the
qualifications was the EDUCATION
AL QUALIFICATION. II coupled
with a decent school system it was fair
to require that every person who wish,
ed to vote should be able to read and
write
The FOURTH method is to allow
certain persons to vote because they
had voted previously or rendered GER
tain services to the State such as serv-
ing in the Army. This was unfair to
the Negroes because they had not had
the right of suffrage originally and
had not chance to serve in the Army.
but nevertheless it applied on the
whole to a small class. This emplif-
cation might even go SO far as, for in
stance. in Alaba ma. where for n limited
time any persons "of good character"
and understanding the duties of a
citizen" could be registered for life-a
manifest sop to local prejudice and
unfairness
Grandfather Clause the Worst.
4. GRANDFATHER LEGISLA-
TION. All of these distinctions, how
ever. could have a certain defense.
Even though they discriminate against
the lowly. the poor, the ignorant and
the careless, and although local ad-
ministration could and does easily IA
vor the white at the expense of the
black. nevertheless on the face of the
law the discrimination is not purely
racial. Even these distinctions did not
satisfy those who finally reconstructed
the South and they placed upon the
State statute books between the years
1898 and 1900 a qualification for the
elective franchise which is without
doubt the most outrageous attack upon
Republican government that this ma
ton has ever seen: and 1t is a pointed
commentary upon the peculiar dangers
OF not settling the Negro problem right
to realize that this legislation was al
lowed to stand upon the statute books
for nearly twenty years and in fact
still stands and is being enforced be-
cause of the popularity of the way In
which 1t works. The statutes to which
j refer are known as the "Grandfa-
Their Clauses"
The first GRANDFATHER CLAUSE
appeared In the Constitution of LOU
ISIANA. adopted in 1898. This Con
stitution was never submitted to the
people and enacted not only an educa-
tional qualification and a property
qualification. but In addition contained
this section:
The Louisiana Grandfather Clause.
SECTION S. No male person who
WAS on January I, 1867, or at any date
prior thereto, entitled to vote under the
Constitution or Statute Of any State
Of the United Statss, wherein he then
resided. and no son or grandson Of any
such person not less than ~ years Of
age at the date Of the adoption Of this
Constitution, and no male person Of
foreign birth, who was naturaIizsd
prior to the first day Of January. 1898.
and vote in this State by reason Of his
failure to possess the educational or
property qualifications prescribed by
this constitution: Provided he shall
have resided in this state for five years
next preceding the date At which he
shall apply for registration, and shall
have registered IN accordance with the
tsrrs Of this article prior to September
I, 1898; and no person shall be en-
titled to register under this section
after said date.
This was promptly followed by
NORTH CAROLINA, whose Constitu-
ton, adopted in 1899, said:
Carolina Grandfather Clause.
SECTION 4. But no male person
who was, on January I, 1867, or At any
time prior thereto, entitled to vote un.
der the laws Of any state in the United
States wherein he then resided, and no
linsai descendant Of any such person.
shall be denied the right to register
and vote At any election In this State
by reason Of his failure to possess the
educational qualification herein pre-
scribsd, provided ne shall have regis
tered in accordance with the terms Of
this section prior to December, 1908.
The General Assembly shall provide
for the registration Of all persons en-
titled to vote without the educational
qualifications herein prescribed, and
provide for the making Of q permanent
record Of such registration, and all per-
sons 90 registered shall forever there
after have The right to vote in all cleo.
tions BY the people in this State, unless
disqualified under Section z Of this Ar
tieis: Provided, such person shall have
paid his poll tax &C above required.
Alabama and Virginia Grandfather
Clauses.
In 1901 ALABAMA adopted a Con-
stitution which said:
Those who have served in the army
or navy Of the United States or of the
Confederate army in time of war
THEIR LAWFUL DESCENDANTS
IN EVERY DEGREE. ETC.. can vote
II registered prior to December ~,
1907
The Constitution Of VIRGINIA IN
1902 contained a curious variation of
The Grandfather Clause:
A. sueh registrations every male elti
zen OF the United States having The