The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-11-13

counties as well as to cities and towns.
He explained that such being the case,
a great hardship would be worked on
the covntrymen who paid taxes on
less than $500 worth of property.
Mr.. McCaslan said that in the coun
try there were a good many men who
had transferred their property to thell
wives. These men would be unable tc
vote.
Mr.. Prince moved to strike out the
entire section, but withdrew the mo
ton.
Mr. Derham moved to table Mr.
Smiths amendment and on that the
ayes and nays were called. The roll
was called and the vote resulted as
follows: Yeas IS, nays 40.
Before the vote was announced MIR.
| D. S. Henderson asked if it. showed q
quorum. When it was announced
the president declared that quorum
had not voted and the vote was there
fore null and void.
The convention thereupon adjourn.
ed until 10 o'clock this morning.
SECTION NINE.
When the convention reassembled
this morning it quickly tackled the re-
naming sections of the suffrage arti.
Gle. Mr.. Stanyarne Wilson offered
the following substitute for section 8,
which was adopted:
Section 9. The general assembly shall
provide for the establishment of poll.
| ing precincts in the several counties
of the State, and those now existing
shall continue until abolished OF
changed. Each elector shall be re.
quired to vote at his own precinct, but
provision shall be made for his trans
fer to another precinct upon his
change of residence.
SECTION TEN.
went through without any trouble:
Section 10. The general assembly
shall provide by law for the regulation
of party primary elections, and pun
ishing fraud at the same.
SECTION ELEVEN.
Section II. The registration books
shall close at least 80 days before an
election, during which time transfers
and registration shall not be legal, ex'
cept as to persons coming of age in
the interim.
Mr.. Bryan offered the following
amendment:
Add to section II. The registration
officers of each county shall, 20 days
before any election held in the county,
or any city or town in the county,
make, certify and file in the office OF
the clerk of the court of common pleas
of the county copies of the registration
books showing separately the register
ed voters for each polling district in
said county and the same shall remain
on file as public records of said office
and open to public inspection"
Mr.. Bryan spoke for the amend,
ment. Senator Tillman favored the
general idea, but thought the Bryan
plan cumbersome and expensive.
Mr.. George Johnstone wanted to
know if the original books when filed
as public records were to be considered
the supervisors private property.
He finally offered the following
amendment:
Before the amendment of Mr.. Bryan
insert: ''The registration books shall
be public records open to the lnspeo'
ton of the public"
Mr.. Fitch spoke to the amendment
| for some time, urging its adoption.
The question was then being put on
Mr.. Johnstone's amendment to the
amendment when Mr.. Johnstone got
the floor and explained it. He said no
man liked darkness better than light
unless his deeds are evil. If they did
not intend to have a fraudulent regis,
tration in this State, let us speak out
now, or forever let it 60. In the last
election an aged citizen who had
charged into the Federal ranks, using
his crutch as sabre, was disfranchised
by q registration officer. You cannot
base civilization upon infamy; fair
ness upon fraud; character on base,
ness. March forward to a future that
will not land our people into 'charac
terlessness. Fraud in elections leads
to fraud in public life.
After a running debate between
Messrs. job lstone and Talbert the
amendment was adopted.
After still further discussion the Sec
ton was, on motion of Mr.. Breazeale,
stricken out.
Later on this vote was reconsidered.
It was further resolved to reconsider
the vote whereby Mr.. Bryan's
amendment was adopted.
The Bryan amendment was then
killed.
The section was then adopted in the
form in which it is first given above.
The remaining sections were then
adopted as follows:
Section IL. Electors in municipal
elections shall posses all the qualihca-
tons and be subject to all the disqual'
ifcations herein prescribed. The pro
duction of certificate of registration
from the registration officer of the
county as an elector at precinct in
cluded in the incorporated city or
town in which the voter offers to vote,
is declared condition prerequisite to
his voting, and in addition he must
have been resident within the incor'
porated limits at least four months be
fore the election and have paid all tax,
es previously due and collectable.
Section 13. In authorizing special
election in any incorporated town OF
city in this State for the purpose OF
bonding the same, the General
Assembly shall prescribe as condi.
ton precedent to the holding of said
election petition from a majority OF
the freeho1ders of such city or town
oc cbown hv its tax books and at such