The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1895-11-07
4 WEEKS WORK
IN CONVENTION.
\ REVIEW OF THE DISCUSSION
ONTHE SUFFRAGE PLAN.
Chances Of the pro1ongation Of the
Session os the Convention Beyond
the Last of November. What
Remains to Be Done

\ special from Columbia to the News
and Courier saws: The burden Of pub
lie interest in the Constitutional Con-
veution has been centred in the suf-
f1asc plan for the future regulation Of
elections in this State. The members
of TIE convention have spent much OF
their time since the day Of assembling
over the problem Now the deed has
been done, and there appears to be no
likelihood that the plan will be materl-
ally changed. The courts Or the peo-
pie alone can change it. The mem
hers IN this, as all along throughout
the progress Of the convention, have
done what they believed would be for
the good Of the State and not Of any
particular faction or cliquc those
who had that idea were defeated. If
the provisions that have lceu made
arc fairly carried ont it is quite GER
tain that the new election system will
l,e infinitely preferable to that now IN
vogue.
As to the prospects for any change
in the plan as adopted the only one
limited at is TO add some provision fer
woman suffrage now Or in the near or
in the distant future. The woman suf-
tragists seem still to cling to the hope
OF getting some reward for their hard
work, either by having woman suf-
fragc adopted in some way or other or
OF leaving it possible for future Leg
islatures to take such action.
No doubt the anti-educational and
property qualification forces will make
another attack on the suffrage plan or
its t1irl reading, but unless there is
decided change in the temper OF the
delegates there is less chance OF a
change than ever, for the report as it
stands is stronger than it has ever
been.
The committee report owed its sue
cess to large extent from the fact
that in the opinion of the Convention
there was ':nothing better presented,
and from the further fact that the
committee was given the credit for
earnestly and honestly trying to get
the best possible suffrage plan out OF
what was offered the committee. The
ground work OF the plan was prepared
by Senator Tillman, but he was in
clined to, and did, make concessions
- II III 7TCFs 5r Tie CommIttee: VINO
hal views contrary to those for which
ne coutended at the outset.
hi och
over the basic principles Of the suf-
frase plan. \ struggle that is yet too
fresh in the minds OF the people to
need description. 1t started cut with
the colorel membeys of the Conven-
ton making such able speeches as to
command tie respect and surprise Of
the members. True, these speeches
we're regarded as made mostly for out
side consumption, but they reflected
credit on their authors.
Then in order came the woman suf
frace crusade, and what might, for
the want OF better term, be called
the fight for the poor man, as it was
called by its champions, but which
really was to leave the elections in the
State in about as much Of tangle as
ever: then the Patton or soldier plan,
and other propositions for the settle
,neDt OF this much vcXcd matter.
EESi-NE Q" VOTE On SCHEMES.
Tttocii week for the convention to
Get through with four sections Of the
suffrage plan. Most of the time was
!. spent in speech making, but the mem
l,crs feel that the time was we'll spent.
Aside from the orato.y that was in
,!;,Iged in, the result Of the weeks
work is shown by the following sum
mary OF the votes by which the several
amendments TO the section were de-
featcd
Immediate womans suffrage (Clay-
ton amendment, 12l to 26.l
Emergency womap's suffrage (Sigh
amendment, 99 to A.
Confederate soldier proposition
Patton plan, III to 20.)
Omission Of property qualification
AMI extension Of understanding clause
Wilson's amendment, 129 to 49,
Eccogniti' Of existing registration
certificates (Jcrveys amendment, l26
70 -.
Australian ballot system (Dudlejs
plan, j0n 10 -.
10 strike out property qualification
INucerS' amendment, - to IS
TO strike ont the property aud edu-
cational qualifications jSenator Iroys
plan, 50 10 A.
Gcnsral destruction OF plan from
colorel members, $50 to s.
Cumulative property plan Mont
gomery's amendment, viva voce vote;
It was after all OF these amendments
auu propositions had been defeated
that the convention decided upon the
:orrth section as reported by the COM
nli:ycc which had hehind it the strong
force au,i individuality Of Senator
r;ih&@a. and which tnEth:r hal as its
}y.:"l ch4a!,ion. Mr. !. T.. k"1"s X
i':vaH. - :: :: i>s;>..
!,J'EEN,GE VIRTUALLY EINEr.
Although there aro t:tss.!. sections
il s!..: suffrage piar. il is not expected
,;ias there vii! !,. very much n1oEe CON
teat:on about It. g. least. 50 far rs tie
secuul ceaG;Gg :; coo:--aed. There
Is r,oyisio2 ic tie plan: That c2cjl
o. thc 5wo political parties casting .Le