San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-11-29
DISFRANCHISED
COLORED VOTERS IN SOUTH
CAROLINA.
THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION
CONCLUDES ITS WORK.
The New Law Will be Tested i,
the Federal Courts.
Special by Assoclated Press ]


Special by Associated Press
COLUMBIA, S. c., Nov. 29.-South
Carolina constitutional convention
will adjourn sine die next Tuesday.
All the work OF the convention has
been completed except that OF
final revision of the changes made
in the constitution, which is in the
hands of a committee. The new
constitution will be different in
many respects from the old one it
will supercede. The most import
ant change will be in the suffrage
articles. In round numbers there
are 10000 adult male negro and
100000 adult male whites in South
Carolina. The present coustitu-
tion of South Carolina was adopted
in 1868 and was framed by a con-
vention composed mostly of re-
Gently liberated slaves and domi-
mated by northerners, who came
into the state at the close OF the
war. 1t was patterned after those
of Massachusetts, and Ohio. The
greatest objection to it was against
the suffrage article which bestowed
the franchise on all male citizens
of the age of 20 years and upward
not laboring under certain disa-
bilities named. Some of the most
intelligent negro members OF the
convention of 1868 were opposed to
universal suffrage and wanted an
educational qualification imposed
which would have prevented a
vast majority of the members OF
their own race from voting. The
present constitution provides a
natural negro majority Of 10000,
which has been overcome by an in.
genious registration law and the
box ballot law which required each
officer to be voted for in separate
box, the voter being compelled to
select the proper box. The leading
men of the state have always rec
ognized that there was POSSIBLE
ity of one or the other or both OF
them being overturned in the Fed
eral courts. This possibility in
duced them to advocate the calling
OF a convention for the pur-
pose of framing constitu-
ton permitting such quail
fication of suffrage as would
insure maintenance Of white su-
premacy. There was great objec-
ton to the calling of the conven-
ton from the illlterate whites and
their friends. There are about
1900 illiterate white adult males
in this state. The convention
could never have been called had
not most explicit promises been
given that these men would be
taken care Of. How 20 cut down
the negro majority and preserve
the vote of the white men, and do
il in a way so as not to run the
gauntlet of the Federal courts, was
the difficulty which engaged the
attention of tho convention in
which there were only six negroes.
Senator Tillman, who led the fight
for the calling of the convention,
was made chairman OF the suffrage
COLI u6 bunIdSO "a UiSAO
of the new constitution provides
fer an alternate educational or
property qualification for voters.
Any man who can read or write, or
who pays taxes on $500 worth OF
property has right to vote. Had
the convention stopped there, the
illiterate whites would have been
disfranchised.
They are provided for in a clause
which says that any one who can
not vote under either property or
educational qualification shall be
given the right to vote for life il he
can understand a section OF the
constitution when read to him by
the registration officers. This un-
Outstanding clause is only to be-
operative for two years. All males
attaining their majority after 1898
comply with the educational or
property qualification in order to
be allowed to vote. This clause
was fought vigorously, though un-
successfully, and is regarded with
dissatisfaction by large proper
ton OF the citizens OF the state.
Doubt is expressed as to whether
it will stand the test Of review by