The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1916-12-07
WHY He REFUSES TO
RATTFY 18th AMENDMENT
Heppner, Oregon.
November, 29, 1916

To the Editor:-
In last Tuesdays issue of the Ore
gonian there is an article by G. w.
Bowen, under the caption-Race Pre-
judice, Not Ignorance. Quoting from
same, referring to the Negro Suffrage
Amendment on the late ballot, the
Oregonian has on several occasions
applied the words "Predujice," Ignor-
ance, Narrow-minded, mistaken etc.
To those who voted, NO, and many of
those who so voted are the same peo-
pie that the Oregonian praised for the
intelligent way that they voted ON
other measures and candidates.
Sunday, November the 18th, the
Oregonian says the Negro Suffrage
Amendment was defeated through an
evident Misunderstanding
Now, Mr.. Editor, l voted NO on
that Suffrage Amendment, and If you
will grant me a little space, | will
tell you why did so.
Quoting from your appended
statement to Mr.. Bowen's article, you
say the Oregonian was in favorable
position to observe the cause for de-
feat of the Negro Suffrage Amend
ment. That it received by letter, and
telephone inquiry from all classes OF
persons including business and pro-
fessional men,. as to whether negroes
could now vote in Oregon. There
was quite a number of wealthy influ-
ential citizens in Portland who signed
the petition to place the Uren Single
Land Tax Amendment on the ballot
these influential citizens said the rea
purpose of the amendment had beer
misrepresented to them by the per
sons who got them to sign the petit
ton. Suppose they had written tt
the Oregonian and been correctly In
formed what the real purpose ant
probable results the Single Land Tai
Amendment would have, II enacted
:.,uto law; by their own statements
they never would have signed Uren''
petition. The fact that large mum
Der of people asked the oregenian
| the negro could now vote in Oregon
does not imply that they were igno
rant, but 1t does prove that they ar
a safe class of people to intrust will
the ballot.
! Quoting farther the Oregoniai
says: Race Predujice was doubt
! less predominating faatdr IN the re
suit, but ignorance laid in the tssc
that this prejudice could be exercis
ed. No such belief existed in thu
minds of those who voted NO on thu
\ Negro Suffrage Amendment, and 1t il
not true that they were influenced by
race prejudice. 1t is the conviction
of those who voted NO. on the Negro
Suffrage Amendment that the success.
or failure of our Government depends
almost entirely upon the way thu
right of suffrage is exercised. II al
the people who are entrusted will
the ballot will correctly inform
themselves so they can vote intelli
gently upon all question at issue
then self-government would be al
ideal government, but with so man!
of our voting population depending
upon the statements Of Soap Box Ora
tors and reading only such papers al
the appeal to reason, it behooves III
to guard the ballot as carefully al
possible, and instead of recklessly ex
tending the right of suffrage, and a
in the case Of this Negro Suffrag,
Amendment where we are asked t.
ratify with our vote that which W.
are unalterable opposed to, hecaus
we voted in accordance with our con
viction, exercising our right of suff
rage as was intended to be the righ
Of every electorate, the Oregonian ha
called us Ignorant, Narrow-Minded
Mistaken Prejudice and etc. | fount
the Chinese to be very intelligen
and honest people, and if a Chimes
is your friend, barring your wife an,
mother, he is the best friend you cal
have. My convictions are that it i
unwise to give the right of Suffrag
to any race that we are unwilling t,
have marry into our families, ant
what kind of white American citi
en- could be satisfied with a Chimes,
or Negro son-in-law.
Again quoting from the Oregonian