Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-11-29
PUZZLE
That South Carolina Statesmen
Have Been Solving.
THINK THEY HAVE THE THING DONE
Constitutional Article Tina. Was Framed to
Di.franchise Ignorant Negroes and Allow
Ignorant Whites to vote-some Gossip
About tho Convention-The Republican
Problem Of How 10 Enable Republican
states to Nominate President.

COLUMBIA, $. c., Nov. 20-South Caro-
hna's constitutional convention will ad-
journ sine die next Tuesday. The body
has been in session continuously, with the
exception Of ten dn-s' rccess, since the
10th Of September. The new constitution
will bc different In many respects from
the one IL will supcrscde, but the most i'm
portant change will bc in the suffrage ar
ticlc. In round numbers there arc 1k',-
90 adult male negroes and 100000 adult
male whites in south Carolina. The pres
cnt constitution Of south Carolina was
adopted in 1865, and was framed by con-
vention composed mostly Of recently lib
Grated slaves dominated by northcrners,
who came into the state at the close Of the
war. 1t was patterned after those of Mas.
sachusctts and Ohio.
Natural Negro Majority Of 10000.
Tho greatest objection to it was against
the suffrage article, which bestowed the
franchise ON all male citizens Of the age Of
81 years and upwards not laboring under
certain disabilities named. Some Of tn ,
most Intelligent negro members of the
convention OF 1858 were opposed to uni
vcrsal suffrage and wanted an educational
qualification imposed. which would have
prevented vast majority Of the members
of their own race from voting. Under the
present constitution there IL natural
negro majority of $1,000, which has been
overcome by an ingenious registration
law and the 3ox- ballot law. which required
each officer to bc voted for in u separate
box, the voter being compelled to 5, lcct
the proper box. The leading men of the
state have always recognized that there
was u possibility of one >or the other or
both of them being overturned in the fed
oral courts.
Had to Consider the "Poor Whites"
This possibility induced them to advo.
cate the calling Of n convention for the
purpose of framing n constitution permit.
ting such qualification of the suffrage as
would insure the maintenance of white
supremacy. There arp about 5000 IL
lc;eratc 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 TO cut down the negro majority
and preserve tho vote of the white men,
anddo 1t In such way as to run the gaunt.
let Of the federal courts, was the difficult
problem which engaged the attention Of
six negroes. senator Tillman, who led tho
fight for the calling of the convention, was
made chairman of the suffrage commit
tee.
The New Article on Suffrage.
The suffrage article of tho new constitu.
tiOn provides for an alternative cduca.
tional or property qualification for voters
Any man who can read or write, or who
pays taxes on $500 worth of property. has
the right to vote. Had the convention
stopped there the illitcratc whites woult
have been disfranchiscd. They are pro
vidcd for In clause which says that any
ono who cannot vote under either prop
crty or educational qualification shall b,
given the right to vote for life il he car
understand section Of the constitution
when read to him by the registration of
ilccr. This clause is only to be opcrativ,
for two years. All males obtaining thci
majority after Isos must comply with tn,
educational or property qualification ii
order to be- allowed to vote
How IL VIII Work in Practice.
This clause was fought vigorously
though unsucccssfully, and Is regarded
with dissatisfaction by large proportion o
the citizens Of the state. Doubt Is ex
pressed ~ to whether 1t will stand the ties
review by the federal courts The way Ii l.
intended To- work is this: Tho registra
ton officers arr left to choose the clause o
the constitution to h. interpreted by tn
w,ald-bc voter. In each case They will
.oc1sc. 10 l. understood. SO tina. white illit
crates will bc given easy clauses to con
struc, while the negro iilitcratcs will b
given hard ones.