The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-09-18
TIE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.
Special Correspondence Of Tie Ia'euiyeaeer.

political situation. All classes, political
faiths and conditions of men are repre-
sented in the Convention. Out of the
hundred and eighty representatives six
are colored. There are about 45 Conser-
vatives in the body, but on certain mat
ters maay of the liberal Reformers will
vote with them.
The Convention has spent the greater
part of the week in getting in thorough
working order, and from now on the pro-
,ceedings of the Convention will be on the
discussion and adoption Of the various
matters that have been proposed for the
consideration Of the body, and inciden-
tally it may be mentioned that there are
already couple Of hundred measures
under consideration.
The Convention was organized by the
election of Governor John Gary Evans
as President of the Convention, and of
Congressman w. J. Talbert and Speaker
Ira B. Jones as Vice Presidents Of the
Convention. Up to the evening before
the assembling of the Convention it was
expected that Congressman Tslbert would
make the race against Governor Evans,
but he declined to become candidate.
The first weeks proceedings have de-
yeloped the fact that there are nu mber
ofstrong and able men in the Convention,
and if those who are there will consent
to out their heads and hearts together
they can make Constitution of which
any State may feel proud and which will
suit the present conditions of Carolins.
There has been one considerable dis
turbing element since the assembling of
the body,-the rush after the creation OF
new Counties. The Convention realized
that there was only one way to get out OF
the trouble, and that was by passing
resolution by which it was announced
that the Convention did not wish to create
any new Counties. Before the resolution
was offered, Saluda County, which has
been knocking at the door for years, had
made out its case, and. as there was no
opposition to the new County, except that
it would set precedent for the adnlis-
sion of other Counties, 1t was admitted.
There was, however, q fight oyer it, and
during that contest 1t was that the mem
orable speech of the first weeks session
was made by ex- Congressman George D..
Tillman. In that speech, which electri-
fed the body, he honored the distinguish
ed Butler name and glowingly recited
the services of Gen. M. @. Butler. There
is but little idea that any attempt will be
made to change the name OF the new
County from Butler to Saluda on the
third reading. When "Butler" County
was approved and the door was closed
against the admission Of other Few Conn.
ties, there was a Sigh of relief among
those who were fearful that some of the
other dozen applicants would occasion
trouble.
Aside from the spirited fight over But.
Ter County there was no contest that Will
mark the future history OF the first weeks
session.
The Convention has appointed twenty
committees, which are 70 consider the
various sub. divisions Of the Constitution,
and the expectation is that the commit.
tees will map out much OF the WORK OF
the Convention. Senator Tillman 1s
chairman of the committee on the right
of the suffrage, and 50 this committee and
its work is public attention mostly di-
rected Every morning when the Presi-
dent calls for resolutions or other papers,
there is anxiety to see what new solution
of the suffrage problem Is proposed. In
the hundreds Of propositions that are
made on all varieties Of subjects there are
but few that relate to the solution or the
suffrage enigma.
Mr.. E6rd, of Lexington, proposes TO
give the voter five chances; first, II ne 1s
able to read any clause of the Constitu-
tion he shall be entitled to vote; second,
to write in q legib1e English hand |;
third, payment of taxes on $500 worth OF
property; fourth ownership Of land
fifth, eligibility to nave voted in 1860.
Mr.. Robert Aldrich, Of Barnwell, pro-
DOSES an educational qualification with
with the right Of the Legislature bestow-
ing the right Of suffrage to individuals by
name. He further proposes to disqualfy
colored people from holding Office.
The Patton plan, Of Mr.. q. Cowper
Patton; Of Richland, has been presented
by the author. Hesproposes to make the
quail fications, ability to read. or paym
Of taxes on $500, or to have been actively
engaged in the Confederate service or to
descend from such person at the time OF
the adoption of the Constitution.
Mr.. Geo, Johnstone, of Newberry, pro-
poses new plan by which persons able
to read or write or who pay taxes on s.
are eligible to vote. In addition to this
he proposes that the Governor shall ap-
point board to pass upon the qualifica-
tions of those disqualified by the first
conditions, and if they regard the appli-
can't worthy Of being q voter to issue
certificate, and, further, that the Leglsla-
may qualify by NAME.
Then the female suffragists are here in
full force and are advocating the enfran-
chisement of all educated women as the
true solution of the problem.
Governor Tillman is credited with in
sisting upon his support Of the Mississip-
.pi plan. The hope Of those who oppose
this is that the Mississippi plan can be SO
combined with other schemes that have
been presented so as to make the system
acceptable to all.
The committee on municipal corpora
tions expects to report tavcrably upon
plan Of allowing property owning women
voting, through their agents, in city
elections, involving the issue OF bonds.
This is likely to be bitterly fought in the
Convention.
Nothing has yet been positively mapped
ont regarding the suffrage problem.
Perhaps next in Importance among the
measures introduced were those relative
to the public schools. Mr.. Hodges, OF
Marlboro, has introduced resolution
looking to three mill tax, while Mr..
Derham, of Horny, has introduced reso-
luton looking to separation OF the
school fund between the two races ac-
cording to the pleasure Of the taxpayer.
The idea seems to be to make provision
that the colored people on account OF
their numbers should not receive the
bulk of the taxes of which the whites pay
the major portion. Some Of the members
advocate mandatory prov ision for the
support of the public schools and leaving
it optional to the school districts as to
what levy to make, while others prefer
to come out and say that the money of
the white taxpayer should 60 to his
schools, unless he otherwise directs, snd
that of the colored people should 60 to
their schools. Another fight Will be over
putting the four higher educational in
stitutions in the Constitution SO as to in
sure the existence of the institutions.
The friends of Clemson and Winthrop
wish to push the matter and the advocates
of the Citadel and the South Carolina
College are satisfied that now is the time
to remove those institutions out ofpoliticS
and make them lasting.
There is very likely to be lively
contest over the new County provision.
Some want the area left as 1t is, while
others wish it cut down to 400 square
miles. It tnow looks as ifiL will be placed
at $50 square miles, and that it will be
left to vote of the people in the territory
u - to