The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-01-22
The Governors Message.

the efforts made for and against the
new Constitution, Judge Goff and
Ex-senator Butler are dealt with IN
rather severe terms.
The message is very lengthy
document, but as much of it is
taken up in reviewing the various
articles of the new Constitution and
in quoting from and reviewing the
reports Of the various State officials
and heads of State institutions, it
can be condensed to brief space by
omiting all save the important recon-
mendations. These are as follows
Many changes have been made in
our system of government, and l
feel it my duty to point out to you
the most important, as deer" them,
for your immediate consideration and,
suggest the legislation required OF
YOU to make them effective.
The most important article com
manding your attention is that OF the
"right of fsufrage." This matter should
be given tue right of way and let 1t
be the first law enacted by your
honorable body. There are many
reasons for this. First, the people
anxious to know how and when the
right to register is to be had; and
second il is of vital Importance that
full registration of electors should
be had before the next general eiec-
ton. The requirements of the Con-
stitution are residence in the State,
two years, in the county one year
and in the polling precinct in which
the clector offers to vote four months,
and the payment six months before
any election of any poll tax then due
and payable Ministers of the Gos,
pel and school teachers are entitled
to vote after six months residence in
the State"
(b) Registration which shall pro-
vide for the enrolment OF every
elector once in 10 years and also an
enrolment during each and every
years of every eiector not previous
ly registered
(c) All male persons OF voting
age applying for registration who WI
can read any section Of the Constltu-
tion submitted to them by the regis.
tration officers or understand and
explain it when read to them.
These are the requirements up to
January, 1898. After this time a
person applying for registration, if
otherwise qualified, must be able to
both read and write any section OF
the Constitution submitted to him by
the registration officer, or can show
that he owns and mas paid all taxes
coilecsable during the previous year
on property in the State assessed at
three hundred (S300) dollars or
more The payment of all taxes, in.
cluding poll tax, is prerequisite to
voting.
It will readily appear to you that
different legislation is requiredd tor
the period up to January, 1898,
from that thereafter. | would sug-
gest, however, to your honorable
BODY tha, all the provisions of the
Constitution and your legislation in
reference thereto be comprised in
one statute, as it is exceedingly de-
sirable that it should be thoroughly
circulated among the citizens OF the
State. Designing demagogues are
already at work filing the ears and
heads of their ccu6ding constituents
with false impressions concerning the
provisions Of the Constitution, and
there is no safer plan to set at naught
such falsehoods than by allowing the
people to see and read for them
selves.
1t is your duty to provide for the
issuing to each duly registered cleo
tor certificate of registration and
for the. renewal thereof when lost,
mutilated or destroyed. am salts
fed you can do no better than to
adopt the old form Of registration
certificate and the provisions OF the
statute now of force regulating the
same, expunging such provisions as
conflict with the new Constitution
which will readily present them
selves to you. This. however, is
matter for your own good judgment
and wisdom Any person den'ec
registration shall have the right o
appeal to the court of common pleas
or any Judge thereof and thence t(
the supreme court 1t is made you
duty to provide by law for such ap
peal and for the correction OF illega
and fraudulent registration. voting
and all other crimes against the cleo
ton laws. would suggest that a
little led tape as possible be place.