Birmingham state herald., 1895-10-31
THE SUFFRAGE PROBLEM.
A Battle Royal Being Waged in the Constitu- tional Conyention-TilIman's Long
 Expected Speech

Columbia, s. C.. Oct. 30.-In the consti- tutional convention today there has been a battle royal all day on the all important suffrage problem. The question under discussion has been the Patton substi- ute, which would make all Confederate and union soldiers and their descendants qualified. There has been no end of talk about fraud. The article reported by the committee with its understanding" clause has been attacked with great force on all sides and denounced as a mere sub terfuge. Strong speeches have been made by MesSrS. McGowan, Bryan, Farrow, Governor Sheppard and others. Senator Tillman has not yet made his general suffrage speech. He is waiting his oppor- tunity. Senator Irby is likewise charged with much ammunition. The hall has been filled all day with spectators wait ing to hear these two cross swords. Till man expects to speak at the night ses- sion, but may not until tomorrow.
 When the hour for recess arrived MT. Bryan of Charleston was attacking the constitutionality of the Patton scheme and sustained that of the committee. An effort was made to force a vote on the subject, but 1t failed.
 At the night session there was quite lively time. MT. Patton's scheme was killed by 0 vote of III to 20. The com mittee then made several amendments to it's article as reported and left the inn portant clauses reading thus:
 (C)-Up to January, 1898, all male per- sons Of voting age, who can read a clause in this constitution or understand and explain 1t when read to them by the reg istration officer, shall be entitled to reg ister and become electors. A sure rec ord of all persons registered before Jan uary 1, 1898, sworn to by the registration officers shall be filed, one copy with the clerk of the court and one in the office of the secretary of state on or before Feb ruary l, 1898, and such person shall re- main during life qualified electors, un- less disqualified by other provisions of this article The certificate of the clerk of court or secretary of state shall be sufficient evidence to establish the right of said citizen to any future registration and the franchise under the limitations herein imposed.
 O)-Any person who shall apply for registration after January 1, 1898, if otherwise qualified, shall be registered, provided that he can both read and write any section of this constitution, or can show that he owns and has paid all taxes collectable during the previous year on property in this state assessed at $300 or more.
 Congressman Wilson offered a substi tute for subdivision -'C," which was to make the general understanding" per petual and the only qualification. He spoke to this at great length.
 He wanted to make the report of the committee doubly secure against the fourteenth amendment There were things in the report which should not be there. Had it not been for these two amendments-the fourteenth and fif teenth--there would be no need for this convention. They might ransack all the ages of vandalism, and nowhere could they find a parallel to the crime com mitted by the union when the war was ended. The negroes had only just Al@k .a savagery It is a crime to put them in charge of the southland. From 1881 to the present time there had been no fraud whatever. He wished to deny that South Carolina had ever been controlled by fraud But they were now at a road crossing. The committee came and pre- scented a reasonable plan-a good plan. It was whether 1t was to be adopted or not I am depriving them of nothing. We are not responsible for the fourteenth or fifteenth amendment. We are here to frame constitution that is best for the great mass of the people; the great mass of them were unfit for the educational qualification. He was going to do his duty, guided by his conscience. They did not have to be controlled by what the north might say. The idea of this clause was all right, but 1t goes too far. Three years from now what will be the con dition of the negro race? They are being educated rapidly. Why restrict the quail n1cation to education, when the broader distinction is possible to be made? Re- finement and civilization could soon change the matter. He wanted to keep the distinction there not only up to 1898, but on for every year.
 Senator Tillman then rose and the crowded hall was instantly so quiet that one could hear pin drop. Tillman made a remarlya ble speech. He said:
 "Tt has been my purpose from the be- ginning of this day to have something