The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1895-11-29
IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
Resume of the Work Of the State
Constitutional Convention.
THE NEW ARTICLE ON SUFFRAGE

IL Is So Constructed That II May Not Run
the Gauntlet of the Federal Courts II
Brought to a Test-To Increase the
School Fund.
COLUMBIA Nov 20-South Carolina's
constitutional convention will adjourn
sine die next Tuesday All the work of
the convention has now been completed
except that of final revision of the changes
made in the constitution, which is in the
hands Of a committee. The body has been
in session continuously, with the excep-
tion of a ten days recess since Sept 10.
The new constitution will be different
in many respects from the one it will
supersedo. The most important change
will be in the suffrage article. In round
numbers there are 100000 adult male
negroessand 100000 adult male whites in
South Carolina The present constitution
of South Carolina was adopted in 1868, and
was framed by q convention composed
mostly of recently liberated slaves and
dominated by northerners who came into
the state ut the close of the war 1t was
patterned after those of Massachusetts,
and Ohio.
The greatest objection to it was against
the suffrage article, which bestowed the
franchise on all male citizens of the age OF
q years and upwards not laboring under
certain disabilities named. Some of the
most intelligent negro members of the
convention of 1868 were opposed to univer-
sal suffrage, and wanted an educational
qualification imposed, which would have
prevented vast majority of the members
l ,fA
The present constitution provides nat
ural negro majority Of 10000, which has
been overcome by an ingenious registra-
ton law and the box ballot law, which re-
quired each officer to be voted for in a sep
arate box, the voter being compelled to Sc
lect the proper box. The leading men of
the state have always recognized that there
was possibility of one or the other or
both of them being overturned in the fed
eral courts This possibility induced them
to advocate the calling of convention for
the purpose of framing constitution per-
mitting such qualification Of the suffrage
as would insure the maintenance of white
supremacy.
There was great objection to the calling
of the convention from the illiterate
whites and their friends. There are about
$1,000 illiterate white adult males in this
state. The convention could never have
been called had not promise been given
that these men would be t,,-.rn care of
How to cut down the negro majority and
preserve the vote of the white men, and dc
it in such way as to run the gauntlet OF
| the federal courts was the difficult prob
lem which engaged the attention of the
convention, in which there are only six
negroes.
Senator Tillman, who led the fight for
the calling of the convention, was made
chairman of the suffrage committee. The
suffrage article of the new constitution
/ provides for an alternative educational OF
property qualification for voters. Any man
| who can read or write, or who pays taxes
on $500 worth of property, has the right to
| vote. Had the convention stopped there
the illiterate whites would have been dis
franchised They are provided for in q
clause which says that anyone who can
not vote under either a property or edu
cational qualification shall be given vote
for life if he can understand a section OF
the constitution when read to him by the
registration officer This understanding
clause is only to be operative for two years
All males attaining their majority after
1898 must comply with the educational OF
property qualification in order to vote
Under the old constitution there was d
two mill tax on property and 81 poll tax
for the benefit of the public schools Of the
state The new constitution retains the s.
poll tax and increases the educationa
property tax to three mills. In addition
the new constitution says the profits of the
liquor dispensary and the penitentiarJ
and the proceeds from the sales of aban
doned lands and escheated estates shall be
turned into the public school funds.
Throughout the history of South Caro-
lima there has never been IA law allowing
divorces in this state though its constitu
tions have been silent on that subject. In
the first days of the convention clause
was put in the constitution forbiddine
granting divorces by any of the courts o
this state, and a proposition that divorces
granted in other states be recognized il
this was voted down. Last week, however
Senator Tillman secured the adoption of
clause requiring recognition of divorce
granted in other states where the mar
riage ceremony was not performed in thi
state, and one Of the parties was not a
that time u citizen or resident of this state