The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1895-11-07
PATTON'S PLAN DEFEATED.

Only Il COrpOraIs Guard Favored
the SubStitutc-Scnator Tillman De-
iHnds the Suffrage Committees Re
port.
The debate on MIR. patton's snbsti-
tute for the main article on suifrag e
was one of the stronges yet Witnessed
in the convention.
Mr.. MCGOWAN got the floor at the
outset and stated that in his opinion
tho attack on the report was uncalled
for. The committee had worked hard
for three weeks and they had given it
the most careful consideration. Tho
Conservatives and Reformcrs had all
agreed and reported the matter unani-
mOusly. He proposed to show that the
attack was unwarranted in every re-
spect he wanted to show that Mr.
Patton was wrong in his facts and his
law. | deny that the committee con-
templates that the plan snail be fraud
ulently enforced.
The object was to enfranchisc illit-
crate white men. don't care who
knows it! And we can do it without
trouble. He denied that it was the in
tention of the committee to have the
requirement enforced dishonesty. Mr..
Patton had said nine-tcnths of the
poor white people would be disfran-
chised. | deny this / can say that
they can understand. If they know 80
they are bordering on idiocyand lunacy
This clause should and will DO admin
istcred honestly. My friend based his
entire argument on this "impOssibili-
ty to understand" | say that he has
built his argument on q false basis.
His purpose is to get these men in who
should not be disqualified. The States
old soldiers had been called of to war
when they shOuld'have beon learning to
read and write. The argument Of my
friend must fall to the ground. 1t can
not stand. Mr.. Patton had no right to
assume that the committee intended
that the plan should be enforced dis
honestly. This assumption was not
borne out by the facts, SO far as he
could ascertain. In 80 cases out Of 100
the white man coul:. understand,
while the negro could not. The white
man associated with other intelligent
white people and became intelligent
by contact. The negro, on the other
hand. associated with the more ignO.
rant class Of his own race.
Governor Sheppard said but for this
question of the negro this convention
would never have been called. They
were frank in admitting what they
proposed to do. They ought not to
find difficulty in displaying the most
perfect good faith in the exercise Of
their Judgment. He was complimcn
tary to the committee on its puipstak-
ing work. His objection to the COM
mittee's article he could state in brief.
He would say that he would vote for
any plan that will leave it to board
or to any man to determine the quail
ficatiOn OF any man for suffrage. |
havo said invariably since | came
hero, and before | came here, that |
would never vote for any provision
that would leave the right Of voting
to any Official. | bulicve that the plan
reported by the committee is constitu-
tional, and believe that the plan pro-
posed by tho substitute is also cOnsti-
tutional. The only question is which
plan Is to accomplish the purpose most
| United States.
Mr.. President, | cali the attention
of this convention to tho fact that
| there is no discrimination on account
of race, color or previous condition Of
servitude. Both races were in the
war both cOlOrs were in the war. As
a matter Of fact there is no dscrimina
tion in it. Mr.. Farrow, OF Charleston
says that at that time class of our
people we're not citizcns and could not
be. AS, Mr.. President, that is ad
dressed to tho substitute, | ask If ii
does not also address itself TO the re
port OF tho committee as woll For a.
that time not 10 per cent. OF tho same
lpSOple could read or write. No, Ren