Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-08-16

an act OF Congress may destroy I'm a
day the system Of statutes. constitu
lions and methods outside of both h,.
which we control. Doubling the nos,
siblc colored vote. as this suffrage
| amendment would undertake TO do
would double our danger and perpiex,-
ties. We have governed with series
OF makeshifts and postponements OF
the time Of final settlement The
problem to be presented by thousand.
OF colored soldiers returning from the
war. trained to think, organize act
and with powerful claim on the good
Will and sympathy of the entire
country. rises just ahead of US. II will
be serious at best. Every innovation
that Will tend to complicate IL will
make II more serious and menacing
Within the next few years we must
steer through an untraclled ocean of
new questions and conditions and :.
periious period Of reconstruction The
ignorant. emotional, unthinking and
corrupt vote we have will be our most
constant embarrassment and pressinI;
danger. The proportion Of women
with those defects is as great as among
men. For political purposes. at least.
the two sexes have the same averages
OF good. bad and indifferent. When
without discrimination and Al stroke
we double the vote We increase enor-
mous!y the task Of trying to guide II
in right and safe directions. II is an
oniinous fact that woman suffrage was
carried for New York By the solid vote
Of the Socialists and enemies of society
and stable government in the lower
East side OF New York City. over the
opposing vote OF the country dis
tricts
In virginia universal woman suHrare
would compel US to revise our Cor
stitu,ion and entire system Of election
laws-if We could. The necessity
would be forced on us. not by the woes
OF our fellow citizens. but b. bare in.,-
jori,ies of the Legislatures of thirt!
six states Probably all the Southern
States would be In the same position
II methods OF intimidation and v'".-
cnce have been used anywhere they
could not bc applied against women y
any race We cannot initiate ;hc Han
in any emergency
This stat. would have $4,000 ne"'
colored women voters and more than
$4,000 white Republican voters. Tho
Democratic vote her" in The last presi-
Dental election was 10000. Probah :
more than 100000 white men are hope
lessly DISTINGUISHED by old arrears o:
unpaid poll taxes. Mississippi ard
South Carolina have large matorit.;
OF colorcd population and possit."
voters. In Virginia and North Car
DINA more than th!ru OF the popula-
tior and possible vote Is Colored. "a
Georgia. Florida and Louisiana more
than half the populations and possih."
voters are colorcd. In each OF ;h.s-
States many counties have large co.
cred majori;ics and. therefore. pos
s!bi!itics Of colorcd control Of loclI
governments. deriving their just
powers t.om the consent of the gov
ermed.
Census figures show these conditions
We cannot merriiy and carelessi!'
whistle down the wind the probability
that tho sudden en!runchiscmcnt OF the
colorcd women would reopen the whCic
deadly and trying question Of the negro
in our politics. II We undertake 1,
do SO wc must disregard reason ant
common sense and shut our minds
against the facts OF human nature a!G
politics and the experience OF NAL
kind.