The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1895-03-04
TO LIMIT SUFFRAGE.
SOUTH CAROLINA'S NEW CONSTITU-
TION MOVEMENT
II AIMED at Observation-Disclosures Whites
and Blacks Would Fall-School Tax I'm
satisfactory and May be Prorated.

LaurenS, >. c. FEBRUARY 2o.-(Special.)-
The political warfare which has been SO
| vigorously waged in South Carolina for the
| past four years or more has invited the pro-
found study of all students of the science
or art of government in this country. It's
| origin. growth-in short the history of it's
| hfe-is a puzzle which has as yet found no
master mind that can simplify or CLASSIFY
| the myriad political theories Revolutions
| have their lessons, but it is the exception
when a people give such problems thought
| full study at the time they are most actively
operative. The distraction and confusion in
| cident to such agitated conditions of socie-
ty preclude almost the possibility OF mature
investigation.
But. aside from all PREDATORY remarks
which might SAVIOR of politics personal,
| there is only one vital question before the
| people of South Carolina just now for soiu-
ton, and that is the much-talked-of consti-
tutional convention scheme.
The primary election for the selection of
delegates to the state convention will be
held about August 2Sth, and on September
18th these delegates will begin the construc-
ton of a new constitution.
great deal has been written about the
proposed constitution and a few of the
main features have been briefly discussed,
but as yet, no skeleton or digest of the new
constitution has been attempted. All manner
of rumorS are rife in regard to the incor-
final analysis public opinion is fairly well
centered on certain questions.
Permanent DisfraRchisement.
In the first place the main feature in the
new constitutional convention movement
is the radical and permanent dsfranchise-
ment of the negro at the polls by means of
either a property or educational qualilica-
ton. AS race, such a provision would
fall most heavily upon the negro, but it
is safe to assert that the number Of white
men who would find their rights abridged
by such legislation is greater than would
appear upon the first blush The free Amer
lean white vote who can read clause
of the constitution of either his state or of
the United States and construe its meaning
intelligently. is in a fearful minority. Negro
elimination means white limitaton-it mat
ters not how the truth be perverted.
The homestead law, which has saved
many poor and helpless family from be-
coming burden upon the state. will like
ly be altered erased altogether. Public
sentiment. however, on this question seems
to be split about even, what the result
will be one can foretel.
One of the best and most commendable
features of the movement is the probable
alteration in the election laws by means
of which there will be only one general
election every four years; that is, to have
the state and federal elections when the
terms are equal, to correspond The people
have suffered incalculable harm from their
incessant round of elections year in and
year out.
Churches are now exempt from taxation
but there is a prevalent opinion that a
small tax will be created in order to pacify
those who are so feverishly in earnest on
the subject.
PrOrate the School Tax.
Next to the question of Acknowledgement
of the negro. the present public school sys-
TEN with its abominable mills tax is of
greatest Importance This question of the =
mills tax has sorely vexed the people of
South Carolina for a number of years and
they are now of one accord in the belief
that IT is an imposition which they must
throw aside 1t is suggested that this school
tax be prorated-that there be two separate
and distinct school funds. in which the
white man pays tax to educate the white
pupils and the negro pays tax which goes
to advance the education of his own race.
Among the minor changes il might be well
to note that proposed alteration in the
salaries of county officials is also contem-
plated The pernicious system of delaying
the payment of school teachers salaries and
forcing them to discount the states paper
will be done away with. County officials
will also be salaried instead of drawing
commissions.
In brief. these are the main questions
tional convention of South Carolina when it
assemblies in Columbia on September nth
What this movement will generate in the
nature of politics ii is difficult to prophesy,
but, as matters stand, there are now three
parties clamoring for supremacy-eXtreme
reformers conservative reformers and anti
Tillmanites or the people who are without
the pale. Senator Irby, with his committee
is leading the extreme radical side of the
question:; w. ID. Evans, Colonel John w
Wharton and men of that phase of political
thought are the champions of the cOnserva-
tive side while men of the Gonzales faith
are battling to overthrow all other factions
Senator Irby refuses to have a general
primary in which Tillmantes and anti
Tillmanites are placed on the same footing,
and in the main this might be alleged as the
distinction between the extremes and the
conservatives" II the conservative policy
fails. in all probability, the anti-Tiilmanites
will consolidate, and. with the aid of a
scattering negro vote, defeat both of the
other factions, but in South Carolina. at
least. a political prophet and weather
prophet make their predictions with
about the same degree of certainty.