The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-07-29
south carolina Convention.

south Carolina Convention.
As the time approaches for the holding
Of the constitutional convention In South
Carolina, the situation with regard TO the
politics Of the delegates seems TO grow
more muidled The convention is only
seven weeks Oft is scheduled 10 begin
its work on Sept. 10-stm no one can say.
with any degree Of confidence in the asser-
ton. how il will be made up. The proba-
briues are that Il viii be controlled by
the Tillmanites though in what proper
ton the representatives OF that faction
will predominant cannot be told. The rea-
son IS that each Of the greater factions in
what is known as the Democratic party is
subdivided into at least TWO smaller fac
tions. on the Tillmanite side there are
what may be called the radicals. who seem
determined 20 run things their own way
and 10 make no concessions for the sake
Of peace in the party, or for any other
consideration. This faction is headed by
Senators Irby and TfIman, who are fol-
lowed by almost all Of the Office holders.
Another branch Of the Tnlmanite party,
under the leadership OF the committee of
forty is, or was at last accounts, in
favor Of granting the conservative branch
Of the party equal representatio with the
Tillmanites in the convention. The lead
ers OF the radical faction at one time
agreed TO this proposition which it is al
legged they have now regulated, since the
federal court has ruled that the registra-
ton laws are all right. It seems that the
radical Tillmanites have the idea that,
under the registration laws, they can con-
troll the convention without making con-
cessions to anybody. and thereby save the
Offices to themselves, which they probably
could not have done had the registration
laws been upset.
To return to the fractional divisions;
there are on the conservative" side, It
seems, two elements that to some extent
correspond with the radicals and the fol-
lowing of the forty" In the Tnlmanite
camp. One party favors division of the
county delegates to the convention and
the other favors making a straight fight
Some Of the counties have accepted the
proposition FOR a division. but the major
ity Of them have not. Charleston, for
one county, has declared in favor Of an
unmixed delegation.
The Irby faction which controls the
party machine. has issued an order for
the holding Of a primary election for del
egates to the constitutional convention,
the primary to be held on July 80 The
delegates nominated, by the primary or
otherwise, are TO be balloted for at a
state election on Aug. 49, The rules Of the
Irby primary require that each person
taking part in it shall pledge himself
TO the support Of the candidates nomi-
mated by the primary. The conservative
element viii, it is believed. ignore the
primary. and the followers of the forty"
Of the other party, may do so also to a
limited extent. Hence the doubt about
the makeup of the convention.
The sum appropriated for the holding
of the convention is only $4,000 It has
been calculated that the daily expense
of the sessions will be not less than $500.
not counting printing OF stationery. The
outlook Is that the appropriation Will
be exhausted long before the convention
has concluded It's work. But that, II is
said, will not necessitate an adjourn
ment. A constitutional convention. it is
held by those who have been most active
in bringing the convention about, is su-
preme body, ana can by Its ordinance ap-
propriate money or DO just about any
thing else that it may choose. This being
the case, It may follow that the conven-
ton VIII not adjourn until December, or
later.