The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1894-10-31

So far as SpartanDurg county ID con
cerned, unless a great revolution takes
place in public sentiment IN the next two
weeks, We will roll up maj ,rlty OF be-
tween Two aud three thousand against
holding a convention. We have con-
yersed with al least three hundred farm
ers and reformers from different
sections, and are yet to find
the first man who will support a
convention, unless it is submitted to the
people for ratification or rejection. We
also believe that Gsenvllls and Union
will vote against it. In the latter county
Hon. Godftey B. Fowler made the race
for the legislature as an opponent to the
convention, and was nominated by
large majority. The OH jsctions that our
people have to convention are:
/. They demand that the work be
submitted to them for ratification or re-
lection. and argue that If our leaders are
not willing to trust them, that it is un'
fair to demand that they place their
suffrage and political liberty at the mer.
cY of 160 men. Such proposition VIC.
lates the very fundamental principles OF
our reform movement.
2. If property suhragsl qualification
is adopted, 1t matters not now small
the amount, 1t will dlsffanchise fully
one half of the white vote OF the old
Iron District; and when you take away q
poor mans ballot, you strip him CT bis
armor, and place him at the mercy OF
the money power. We do not know
when our reform faction mag go
out OF power 10 South Carolina and
should the antis regain control OF tbs
State government, they Will draw the
line on the poor white man as well as
the negro, aud take his vote from him.
3. There is no doubt about an educa-
tional qualification being adopted, which
will require voter to read the constitu.
ton of his Stale "understandinglY" aud
write his name. Now, there are between
one thousand and fifteen hundred white
voters in Spartanburg county Who are
unlettsred, and when you draw the ed
ucational line they are disfraEchised,
and to be permitted :ovote must violate
the laws of their State. This will
greatly weaken the political power OF
our county, and at the same time
take from these voters the only weapon
they have to fight for their rights with.
Ole Of our leading reformers remarked
last Saturday that his father lived IN
Picsens county, and was 81 years old,
and while he bad given his sons good
education, tbs old gentleman did not
know letter in the book. He has al
ways prided himself on voting the ticket
ofhis choice, and is good cit'zen. Now,
to take this old mans vote from him,
Or make him dependent on some one
else for the prviige of casting a ballot,
would be an outrage, which his family
will recent to any extremity.
4. Our state executive committee ad
mits that 8 constitutional convention
would cost $4,000, which means 100
bales OF 81 cents cotton taken from the
farmers OF Spartenburg; for it matters
not who pays taxes, it comes out OF the
tiilcr Of the soil at last. Now, can Cur
paople afford, their present Strengthened
financial condition, 10 incur this expense?
And then we must remember, that this
constitution can be amended, and made
oyer new, if necessary, without costing
one extra dollar, and by the legislature
submitting any amendments 1t sees pro.
per 10 the people for their ratification.
5. While 1t is true the anti papers are
opposing the convention, this is no rea-
son why an intelligent maa should fight
it. Egery voter must think and act for
himself, and not be guided either by the
commands of one faction or another fac