The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1895-10-30
THE SUFFRAGE SCHEME.
THE CONVENTION TAKES UP THIS
IMPORTANT MATTER.

THE CONVENTION TAKES UP THIS
IMPORTANT MATTER.
The Committee Submits Some Amend
ments---A Conference Of Democratic
DeIegates---Senator Irby's Plan---The
Debate Begun.
COLUMBIA, S. c., October 3d.
Special: The committee on suffrage,
of which Senator Tillman is chairman,
yesterday reported to the Convention
several amendments to the article on
the right OF suffrage. The sections
amended now read thus:
Section l. All elections by the peo-
pie shall be by ballot and the elections
Shall never be held or the ballots
counted in secret.
Sec. 3. Every qualified elector shall
be eligible to any Office to be voted
for, unless disqualified by age as pre-
scribed in this Constitution. But no
person shall hold two offices of honor
or profit at the same time except in the
militia and notaries public.
Sec. 3. Every male citizen of this
State and of the United States, 81
years of age and upwards, not labor
ing under the disabilities named in
this Constitution. and possessing the
qualifications required by it, shall be
legal elector.
Sec. 4. The qualifications for suf-
frage shall be as follows:
a. Residence in the State for two
years, in the county one year, iD the
election district in which the e2sctor
offers to vote four months, and the
payment Of any poll tax due six
months before any election: Provld-
ed, however, That ministers in
charge of an organized church and
teachers of public schools shall be en-
titled to vote after six months resi-
dence in the State, if otherwise quail
fed.
(b.) Registration, which shall pro-
vide for the enrolment of every elect
or once in 10 years.
(c.) The person applying for regis
tration must be able to read and write
any section of this Constitution after
January l, 1895, or show that he owns
and pays taxes on $500 worth of prop
erty in this State. Provided. That
at the first registration under this
Constitution and up to January 1st.
1898, all male persons of voting age
who can read clause in this Consti-
tuition or understand and explain it
when read to them by the registration
officer shall be entitled to register and
become electors. \ separate record
of all persons thus registered, sworn
to by the registration officer, shall be
fled, one copy with the clerk of court
and one in the Office of the secretary
of state, on or before February 1st.
1898, and such persons shall remain
during life qualified electors, unless
disqualified by the other provisions OF
this article. The certificate of the
clerk of court or secretary, of state
shall be sufficient evidence to estab,
lish the right of said citizens to regis
tration and the franchise under the
limitations herein imposed.
Sec. -. Electors in municipal elec.
tions possess all the qualifications
herein prescribed, and the general as
sembly shall provide for special reg.
istration of voters for each municipal
election; provided, the governor shall
appoint municipal registration Off.
GERS.
Sec. 13. At any special election in
incorporated cities and towns of this
State for the purpose of bonding the
same, all resident owners of property
in said cities and towns of the as
sessed value of two hundred dollars,
who are qualified elector under this
Constitution, shall alone be entitled
to vote. At such election the voter
shall produce receipt for all taxes,
county, State and municipal, for the
previous year as evidence of his right
to be registered and vote.
The conference assembled last night
ae 80 and from that hour until with.
in half hour of midnight it remain,
ed in session, listening to only five
speeches on the suffrage problem.
When the conference assembled
there were many outsiders in the hall.
After some preliminary talk Con
gresham Talbert was placed in the
chair and Mr.. Wharton was asked tc
act as secretary, while Mr.. Fitch was
asked to act as reading clerk.
There was a debate about who
should be excluded from the hall.
Finally a resolution was adopted tc
exclude everybody save the members
of the convention who were Demo
Gratis. This of course included news
paper men, representatives of severa.
papers being on the floor at the time
Senator Tillman wanted a specia
committee appointed to give out re
port of the proceedings.
The main speeches of the evening
were made by Tillman and Irby. The
other speakers were Messrs. Bryan
| and Farrow Of Charleston and Mr..
Parrott.
Senator Irby came to the front with :
suffrage plan following up his inter
view, and it is said talked to the con
| vention in a very impressive manner
From outside one could see that ht
| was speaking in a very determined
way.
He offered the following amend
ment to the article as proposed by Sen