The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-08-19
WANTS HIS RIGHTS
COIOred American in Plea for
Equal Vote.
Rev Geo. Gilbert Walker Writes
on Disfranchisement Plea.
is HE ONLY IGNORANT MAN?
Other Races Have Voters Who
Neither Rear Nor Write.
Reason for jealousy Guarding
Political Integrity.
IS He ONLY IGNORANT MAN?
Article No. III.
(BY THE REV. GEORGE GILBERT
WALKER, NJ. Al

chised in the south because he Ii col
ored. OF course, those who believe
the colored American should be dis
franchised assume one of two atti-
tudes with regard to state constitu-
tons and laws which disQualify him.
1t is either denied that he is aimed at
as belonging to a special race; or
arguments are put forward to prove
the wisdom or the necessity or the ex-
pediency of denying him the ballot.
The first attitude is so obviously in
sincere that 1t needs no special discus
sion. No number of qualifications for
voters could result in disQualifying all
the colored men in a state, for the
simple reason that any such result, II
brought about fairly would leave no
voters at all. There are in the states
of the south many colored men of
wealth, and first class character. Yet,
these men may not vote.
Those who advance Arguments sup
porting the Acknowledgement of the
colored American, claim. in the first
place that he is too ignorant to vote.
Such an argument is childish. We
know that there are thousands of
white men voting at every election,
than whom no colored man was ever
more ignorant. Now, 1t may sound
| we'll to say that ignorant people should
not vote; but when the question of
simple matter. VINO shall make the
standard? Shall a body of men, most
of whom are of ordinary intelligence,
| say just how much a man should know
before he be permitted to vote?
Matter Of Intelligence.
But suppose a legislative body has
the adequate scholarship. where shall
they draw the line? Is man fool.
| because he cannot read well? Is a
man wise, because he can read well
| The writer has seen many Intelligent
| persons who could not interpret the
Constitution; and many unintelligef1t
who were graduates of schools. Both
are exceptions. of course; but who
Ishall say when these exceptions shall or
shall not vote? May a fool vote if he
IL able to read and write and stumble
over an article of the Constitution? In
other words, the writer, is Convinced
that 1iteracy tests are impossible to
| apply fairly and adequately. regardless
of the sincerity of those applying them.
| However, whether we have tests OF
| not, color should never enter into the
matter. We simply demand that the
colored citizen be given the same po-
litical standing as is given any other
citizen of the same intelligence, ability,
ana integrity
| Treat All Alike.
| Again. it is claimed that the COL
| ored American does not know what to
do with his ballot; that he sells his
vote; and that he votes from feelings
| of sentiment and not because Of In
| terest in large issues. Now. all we ask
| is this: That the white voter who
sells his vote, or who votes from senti-
ment, or who looks at things narrowly,
be placed with the colored voter who
| may be so classified, and that both
white and colored be treated alike.
People who have been voting and
ruling for generations are not always
| in a position to crftfcfse men for al
legged inability to appreciate suffrage.
The many political scandals, the pork
barrel statesmanship, the political
rings, the sacrificing of public inter-.
| ests to private advancement, scarcely
put ruling class in. an exemplary
situation. When great leaders shape
| important policies SO as to make good
campaign material, we may we'll ques-.
ton the sincerity or. right OF advocat-
| ing literacy tests for the common voter,
or the consistency OF the assertion that
the colored American does not know
| how to use his ballot.
Any order of things in which OBJ
tain the following conditions, needs
readjustment, speedily:
A large body of ignorant people,
too ignorant to vote.
A large body OF ignorant and vicious
people easily bought and exploited.
Ruling politicians who exploit
ignorant and vicious voters.
Every sovereign state has positive
duties. One of those dutieS>is to make
the above named classes so small as
to be of no consequence in the policy
of the state. This means a strong
propa ganda OF education and the en-
forcement of law.
Fear of Domination
Fear of colored domination is ad-
vanced by those who live in sections
in which there are large numbers of
colored people. This fear is a night
mare harassing those who are actu-
ated strongly by race prejudice, and
who will not look at facts. Take
Jamaica for instance. In 1911 the
population was s31.3s3; distributed as
follows: 1896 whites; 16s,2e1 color
ed; 63,1S1 blacks; 22.3s6 East In
dams. Yet, in Jamaica the white and
shape. Black men occupy high offices.
both appointive and elective. There
Is no race friction. Law is always
dominant. The loyalty of the West
Indian colored people is proverbial
The fact that a black man was a
chief Justice OF Barbados is we'll
known.
No group will ever become an eff
cient factor in the political life of a
country unless it be given the oppor-
tunity to take free and active part in
1t. Speaking of the argument that ex-
perience is a necessary prerequisite to
voting, DR.. w. E. B. Dubois says:
According to this we should have no
new voters. unless we assume that the
capacity to rule is hereditary
When we consider that the civilized