The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1895-11-05

hot single white mah shall be- dis
iranchised? Where s the promis
that has been made to the white pee
pie in this State, that not one of then
should be disfranchised
Again, Mr.. President, am guilty o
no breach OF confidence or impropriet,
when tell you that the adoption o
this plan, even IL every white man II
this State could explain every provi
sion OF the constitution. will mean the
disfrancbisem .nt Of $4,000 or 10000 O
Inc people for another reason. Mr.
bryan, member OF the committee ant
one of the ablest lawyers in the State
| has said that we would not stand upor
rock and that our house was built
upon sand until 1893, and when pre-.
sented proposition placing all men
upon an equal footing and REQUIRING all
parties from the chief justice to the
humblest man in the State to explain
the constitution, he Intended that this
was UNCONSTITUTIONAL, md when asked
ABOUT the understanding clause in the
committee report spoke in way as if
ne doubted it and called attention to
the fact that Louisiana refused to fol-
low the lead of Mississippi in this re-
spect because she regarded it as un-
constitutional.
The provision of being able to read
and write is intended for the protection
OF that class who are educated. It is
unconstitutional beyond doubt. If
you qualify the 5000 or 10000 people
In this State who cannot read and write
under your understanding clause, hon
estly or dishonesty, your supervisor
may be enjoined, this question may be
carried before the Supreme Court of
the United States and will be and the
supreme Court may strike it out as un-
constitutional. Then where, sir, Is the
promise that not o single white man
should be disqualified? 1t will be too
late then, because this convention will
have adjourned. l don't think the
people of this State will ever have an.
other one in the next one hund red
years.
demand for these illiterate people
the same protection to exercise the
right OF the elective franchise, as far
as this constitution is concerned, as is
given to the educated. 1t is not right
and you ought not to discriminate in
This way against them. IL you are go
ing to protect them and give them this
right, lot 1t be constitutional right
or none at all.
1t is that class of people who always
do their duty to their State, and never,
never, demand pay in war or in poll
Tics. They are satisfied with the priv.
clcge OF going to the field or the ballot
box and fighting or voting for some
hero or ideal.
Your educational and property Quail
lfication Of 1898 is fixed. The doors are
forever closed against the best and
most patriotic class Of people in South
Carolina.
a n Nm, Dr1riI~~~& IL.
plan because it Is a discriminate in
favor of the educated and against the
uneducated or illiterate 1t is wrong
in principle to Judge or test the love Of
country by education or property. 1t
has been said that he who fights for his
country has the right to vote. say,
and any Democrat ought to say, that
however poor and illiterate lhe man
who offers his life for his country ought
not to be subject to even the humilia-
tion OF a discrimination against him.
In truth, sir. you exact of the uneduca-
ted something harder to be performed
than of the educated. | never thought,
after all that we have gone through,
that would ever be called upon to vote
property and an educational
qualification.
Now, Mr.. President, there are at
least lo,OOO OF these people in this State.
In war or in peace they have always re-
sponded and can always be relied upon
to do their duty to their country. In
1860, sir, this State furnished uu II bers
OF that class in battle. Many of them
were killed. They have left sons who
are poor and are now uneducated and
Will be politically destroyed under this
clause. LAS the chairman of the Demo-
cratic party OF South Carolina, | say
they nave always come to the front
wren Democracy was challenged. 1t
was that class that | have always re-
lied upon. They have never failed.
They have never voted an Independent
ticket and protest now that it is un-
kind, ungrateful and undemocratic to
strike them this blow.
|. for one, am not afraid to bear the
word Demagogue." 1t has been
showered on some of us during three
campaigns until have come to take
it as a badge of service in the cause of
the people, and therefore to be desired
and honored. |, for one, am not
ashamed Of the people who have loved
and followed and made me and others.
If | did not honor, love and defend
these people, l would be unworthy the
name of man. They have my admira-
tion and my gratitude. l know them
well, and, God being my helper, will
stand with them and sink or swim with
them.
There is class of our citizens to
whom the State has been hard moth
or. She has denied them the oppor-
tunities OF education, showered so
lavishly on more favored sons she has
yielded them only scanty substance
from her soil. With no property at
stake, with less in the State demand
ing their love and loyalty than any
other class OF people, they have always
gone to the front. All their learning
has been that they are men and Demo-
Gratis and South Carolinians, and they
have had no motive to inspire them
but their manhood, their fidelity and
their inbOrn instructive patriotism
They were first in time OF war on the
battle line, and there bere the brunt
In the ranks OF the red shirt battalion
they were the hardest riders, the
foremost in facing danger, always to
be depended on for the toughest and
most perilous service.
Now 1T iS proposed to thrust them
into the only place of danger-a place
which their leaders and other citizens
will not be required to share. This
section builds Domb proofs and forti-
fications for the educated and proper
ty owning class, and makes tn EN- safe
and snug forever, while it leaves the
vote for the poor white man to risk
and endure the tests of hostile court.
Furthermore, it leaves that class Of
our people dependent on the grace and
favor OF supervisors who may be hos
tile 10 them from personal reasons or