The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1895-10-10
CONVENTION
OPINIONS.
VIEWS OF CERTAIN PROMINENT
MEMBERS OF THE BODY.
Ben TiIlman Thinks Highly Of 1t, and
Conservative Members Say It ts
Patriotic.

Senator Tillman, when asked for
statement of his views as to the work
Of the South Carolina Constitutional
Convention thus far and as to the
future, for the Southern Associated
Press, sa i'd:
"The body has e7inced 9etermina-
tiyn to closely examine and thoroughly
analyze every measure presented, and
to do nothing hastily, and, therefore, l
am satisfied that the constitution 1t
will make will be durable instrument.
The convention has risen above fac
t:onal feeling altogether. The one
PREDOMINANT idea seems to be the
future welfare of the people Of the
State, and whatever the convention
does will be we'll done. I could not
pretend to go into detail. I can only
give it as my opinion that in the future
We Will have better common schools
and absolute purity and fairness in
elections.
Ex-Congressman George D. Tlllman
said that the convention reminded him
more OF a debating society Of over
grown school boys than anything else,
talking all the time and undoing to!
morrow what they do to-day: He did
not care to talk about it much He
said that so far as that proviso saying
"any negro blood" was concerned, it
would be an absolute necessity to
change that and make it "one-eighth
part negro blood, or havoc would be
played with property in South Caro-
lima. He says he will bring this mat
ssr up on the third reading. Speak
ing of woman's suffrage, he said, with
e wise shake Of his head, that there
were many more advocates Of woman
suffrage on the floor of the convention
than any one dreamed of, and the
adoption of woman suffrage Hank,
based on property qualification, was
not such an impossible thing as it was
generally conceded to be. AS to the
article OF the suffrage committee, he
said tnat the plan could not honestly
accomplish the desired result. 1t was
far from getting at the dlsFranchlse-
ment Of the negroes by honest and
fair means. A plan that has occurred
to him to do away with two-thiros Of
the negro vote without refusing the
ballot to any negro complying With
the honest requirement, IS to take adj
vantage of the migratory habits OF the
negro. By having township managers
aud boards, AMI requiring voter to
live in the same township for two
years to be eligible, two-thirds Of the
negroes would be disfranchised hon
estlv and no white man would be hurt,
for the white people are chained to the
land. He does not think the coD7en-
ton will leave the appointment Of the
commissioners of election to the COVER
nor. What they wanted was the gov
ernment of the people by the people.
Who were better to jndge Of the quail
fcations of voter than the people o.
the township wherein the voter re-
sides? This was local self-goVern-
ment. The scheme reported WIS to
perpetuate one man power.
When asked for his views, Mr..
George Johnston, one of the leading
Conservative members, said: 81 am
pleased with the conduct Of the con-
vention up to this time. 1t has struck
me being areally patriotic body OF men,
striving to do what they honestly be-
lieve to be for the best interests of the
State. It has struck me, from ell the
circumstances by which we are. sur
rounded, as being remarkly free from
PARTISAN bias, and think this is shown
in the result of their deliberations.
The articles so far adopted, I think,
will be found free from reasonable
objections. I can reclll but one
principle engrafted into the constltu-
ton that 1 think open TO serious OBJ
lection, and that is the one granting
T., municipal corporations the right tc
exempt manufacturing enterprises
from taxation. This believe to be
VICIOUS prlnclpIc. \ gooi portion OF
the serious work of the convention re-
mains still to be done. The articles
on finance and taxation, on corpora
tions and on the judiciary are all yet
to be considered. OF course cannot
say what the action in regard to them
Will be, out the convention has allowed
the freest debate, which has been con-
Quoted in a candid manner, free from
passion and from prejudice until this
time. Whenever vicious principles
have been pointed out, they have, after
debate, been eliminated, and cannot
nelp but feel that the same will he
heir conduct in matters vet to be con-
sidered. AS yet 1 have not had an
opportunity fully to consider the plan
presented as to the suffrage, and am,
therefore, not qualified to criticize it.
The same is the case as to the articles
on finance and taxation and on cor
porations. This adjournment will
give the members an opportunity to
investigate these matters, and look
for great good as the result Of the re-
cess. It would be idle to attempt to
predict the length of the session after
the recess, but I am tempted to imagine
that there is q months work still
ahead. The opportunity to study
given by the recess may shorten it. I
think it will probably have that effect. :"
Congressman Talbert, the vice-presi-
dent of the convention, who has been
presiding some days, said be is dis
gusted at the idea OF taking recess.
He says he is opposed to increasing
the two mill school tax or the pcll tax,
and that he will not vote for any suf-