The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1895-07-31
The Plan Disclosed.
Tillman's Scheme to Regulate
the Suffrage.

Special to The State.
AUGUSTA, Ca. July 22.-Is is a
strange thing that the Constitutional
convention is SO very close at hand and
yss nothing more de6aite has been
made kuowo than that the regulation OF
the suffrage so as to disfrauchise as
many negroes as possible, without dis
franchisiog any white men. except for
crime, is the work it is cut cut to do.
Not one of the other vital issues to
come mp before this convention have
been presented to the public mind.
Men who are. candidates for delegates
have as vague au idea of whasthe con-
ventionr vas called TODD as the masses
have of Norsemen's Valhalla but as a
matter of fact, the question of bow
such chaages inssthe organic law OF
Sonths Carolina-that will affect future
generations when conditions. may be
different. had mot sose ray more OF
light thrown on it SO farsasa the public
is CONCERNED that when Tillman and
Irbg issued the address which caused
the convention to be called.
Dnriog the last fen weeks the klpg
leaders have been seriously considering
the ..hoes'' AID many schemes have
been discussed with a view of setting
on some scheme that viii stand the
test of the United States Constisu-
ton. & s
I have during the past few days
moved abons amoug several of the most
promineas leaders 90 the Reform side
10 the State, aud some light can be
thrown on the ..how.' -
The woman's suffrage scheme has
been fully discussed by the leaders.
They have discussed plan like this
To put. 90 property qualification OF
say $500 for ali white women, nos COZ
sider,ng the negroes. This would, it
was argued, give the white women in
the sowns great power, while IN the
country it would be = dead letter.
Then the scheme Ct allowing all wo-
men to vote under an educational quail
i6catiou was discussed. This would
give the State some 10, 600 or 43, 900
new voters; but it has been viewed as
a dangerous experiment. and many
reasons have been advanced Why it
should not be adopted. AS near as |
can ascertain; there now seems to be
no chance whatever for Woman's Suf-
frage !; though a few months ago there
was some likelihood Of the scheme just
mee.iooed being adopted.
The. overpoweriog question OF the
regulation of the suffrage then drifted
down to the scheme Of putting IN a
property qualification for all male vot-
ers-a small one-but an examination
of existing conditions showed plainly
that many white men would be disfran
chised under this scheme. So this
plau was rejected by the leaders A
plain educational qualification was pro-
posed, but for the same reason that
many white couo.rymen would be dis,
srapchised, it too. vas abandoned
Other plans and schemes have been
given careful consideration and much
study on the quiet 1t uow seems GER
tain that the following is the plan that
the Ring leaders have settled upon.
This plan is to extend the suffrage to
all meu ofstwsnty-one years of age 10
the State upon an educational quallhsa-
ton. the test beings mans ability to
read the Constitution of the State to
the supervisor. To addition to this for
the drss Eve years men are to be regis
tered. who. if they cannot read the
Consultation, cau explain the meaning
of anv clauses read TO them. the super
visor to be the judge Of the suficlency
of the explanation. Then~the law will
nrov;de that at the end OF this Eve
Years all men registered during that
tine shall hold their certificates OF reg
istrat,op. while all who are registered
thereafter will have to read the Const'
tutioa and show that ;bey understand
i. Uuder bis plan. also, all criminals
viii! be disfranchised.
So much for this ai!-absoroiog SUIT
e..,a regulation. Now word as to
the dispeosary 1t has beea long
though, that the dispensary scheme
would be put into the Constitution as
an entirety, but. as fer IS can ascer-
tain, there is 30 intention to DO Sc.
The scheme is to pu, clauses Toto the
Constitution that vii: make cons. .''u-
.ional all the features of the law winch
have been shown by the experience the
lau has had 10 the courts to be uncon-