The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-11-06
THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.
spseial cbrresponaeuee efMe 1nleuiqeneer.

1nE SUNS111 Ol1VNAA OVN 1N AAVNs
Special Correspondence Of the lnseligencer.
COLUMBIA, s. c., Nov. 3, 1895.
The campaign, the politicians and all
have conspired to make the central issue
of the Constitutional Convention the
suffrage issue. When the campaign was
at its height the importance Of white
supremacy was urged with all possible
force, SO it was that when the Conven-
tion met the greatest interest was mani
fest in the suffrage plan that would be
adopted for the future regulation of the
suffrage in this State. The Convention
has passed this stage and is now out Of
the throes of the suffrage matter, much
to the delight of every one. For long
time no one seemed to know exactly
what was to be reported by the Commit
tee on Suffrage, of which Senator Till
man is chairman, except that it was to
be something like the Mississippi plan.
That was not pleasing to those who want
ed to clarity the elections in the State,
but the Committee report was altogether
a surprise. Concessions were made to
the conservative members, and in that
way the Committee made unanimous
report and presented solid front. Sem
ator Irby, in talking about the Commit
teo, remarked that 1t looked as if whom
ever an attack was made on the report
that some one was behind the log waiting
to fire. The Committee was strong one
and seemed to be well organized. sena-
tor Tillman and Mr.. J. P. x. Bryan, of
Charleston, took the most active part in
the defense of the Committee report.
Senator Tillman was the general In
charge, and Mr.. Bryan was called upon
to represent the legal side Of the argu-
,ment, and to his technical legal argument
was due much Of the success OF quietly
burying some of the other propositions
that had been presented.
When the Committee report came in 1t
was generally realized that it would be
adopted, for the lack of something better.
The Conservatives and Reformers gene
rally accepted the plan as the best that
could be had. The Conservatives SEEM
ed to give the. proposition more general
support than was expected. The illite-
rate classes are to be let in for two years,
under the understanding and explain
ing'' clause, and after that all electors be-
fore being accepted must be able to both
read and write, or pay taxes on $500, and
must have paid all taxes due six months
before an election. The property quali-
fication is made an alternative, and Is ie1-
pscted to let In number Of young men
who happen to own $500 worth Of prop
erty, but who are unable to read and
write.
It VISA to be expected that the negro
race would not be Satisfied with any prop
.osition Of which the announced purpose
was to cnt down the colored vote to the
lowest mark that could be done without
coming In conflict with the Federal Con-
'stitution.
The colored members were the first to
take the floor against the plan. as report
ed, and they kept up their fight until the
battle was over and the section adopted.
The report withstood q strong fire and
came out substantially as reported, at
least as far as the Convention had gone
before agreeing to recess.
First OF all came the woman suffragists,
and their numbers varied from Is to AZ.
They were vanquished, but 1t is the pres
emit intention OF the woman suffragists to
try again on the third reading Of the bill,
or to have it added on the present read
ing. Gen. Hemphill, Mr.. Clayton, OF
Florence, and Mr.. Sligh were among the
principal speakers for the innovation.
Mr.. Clayton wanted provision made at
once for the qualification of women who
owned $500 in their own names. Mr..
Sigh, after the defeat Of this proposition,
proposed to have the Legislature enfran-
ichise women IL the occasion arose. Mr..
Sigh argued that he wanted to provide
an emergency army, bet the Convention
came to the conclusion that whatever
work there was to be done to insure
white supremacy should be by the men,
and that there was no reason for asking
women for such help; II they we're enti-
tied to vote they should do 30, not on the
grounds Of necessity but because Of their
rightto do it.
But the running fight that was made
against the measure came from Senator
Irby and his allies. who wanted to take
out Of the bill the proviso as to educa-
tional and property qualifications. Some
Of his allies only joined him in his efforts
to take out the property qualification,
while others Joined him in his vigorous
fight to eliminate both the property and
educational qualifications. It might be
added that the property qualification Is
merely an extra opportunity OF becom-
ing registered. A man who can neither
resd nor write, but who owns $500 worth
Of property in his own name can by that
ownership become qualified elector.
The qualification for suffrage shall be
as follows:
(a) Residence in the State for two years,
in the county one year, in the election
district in which the elector offers to vote
four months and the payment ak months
before any election of any poll tax then
due and payable; Provided, however,
that ministers in charge of an organized
church and teachers Of public schools
shall be entitled to vote after ak months
residence in the State If otherwise quail
fed.
(b) Registration which shall provide
for the enrolment of every elector once in
ten years, and also an enrolment during
each and every year Of every elector not
previously registered under the provis-
ions of this article.
!, (c) Up to January !, 1898, all male per-
SONS Of voting age applying for registra-
ton, who can read any section In this
Constitution or understand and explain
it when read to them by the registration
officer, shall be entitled to register and
become an elector. A separate record of