The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-12-20
THE SOUTH CAROLINA FRAN.
CHISE LAW.

Washington, ID. c., Dec. .r19.zEdi-'
torial Correspondence.l- Is Wnse .Sestcr-
day that to-day | would send an inter
view by Senator Gallery. but as it bears
mainly upon the necessity of registered
primaries, / will save it for later letter
and follow the Louisiana plan of regu-
lating SUFFRAGE with the South Caro-
lima plan.
Three Southern States, have limited
suffrage by Constitutional enactment
Louisiana. South Carolina and Mississ p
pi. The Louisiana plan is the newest
and by all odds the best for North
Carolina. if it is constitutional. The
South Carolina plan has demonstrated
that it does what IFS trainers expected.
| had quite an interesting talk yester-
day with Senator McI4aurin about the
Constitutional regulation of suffrage in
his State He is one of the youngest
men in the Senate. and is winning his
way to the esteem Of his colleagues.
Modest studious, able and growing. those
who know him say that if he has n long
term he will make one of the most use
full Senators the Palmetto State has had
in many years. He took deep inter
est in the North Carolina fight and made
several speeches in that State during the
campaign. ] read the speech he made
at Old Hundred. Richmond county, in
October. 1t was one of the very best
made during the campaign.
In the adoption of the Constitution of
South Carolina, Senator McLaurin took
Il deep interest and as Attorney General
Of the State, gave counsel to those who
were engaged in restricting suffrage.
Knowing this, | asked Senator Nc
Laurin how it worked in practical opera
ton. and among other things he said:
Article :, section 3, of the Constitu-
ton of South Carolina, adopted Deem
Der, 1895, provides:
THE qualification for suffrage shall he
as follows:
"a. Residence in the State for two
years, in the county one year, in the
polling precinct in which the elector
offers to vote. four months, and the pay
ment six months before any election of
any poll fax then due and payable. Pro
vided. That ministers in charge of an
organized church, and teachers of public
schools shall be entitled to vote after
six months residence in the State, il
otherwise qualified.
'B. Registration which shall provide
for the enrolment of every elector once
in ten years, and also on enrolment
during each and every year Of every
elector not previously registered under
the provisions of this article.
&C. Up to January list, 1898, all
male PERSONS of voting age applying for
registration who can read any section in
the Constitution submitted to them by
the registration officer. or understand
and explain it when read to them 10y the
registration officer, shall be entitled TO
register and become electors A separ-
ate record Of al persons registered be-
fore January LIST, 1893. sworn to by the
registration officer, shall be filed, one
copy with the clerk of the court and
one in the office of the Secretary of
State on or before January list, 1898.
and such persons shall remain during
life qualified electors unless disqualified
by the other provisions of this article.
ID. Any person who shall apply for
registration after January list, 1898, If
otherwise qualified, shall be registered
Provided, That he can both read and
write any section of the Constitution
submitted to him by the registration
officer or can show that he owns, and
has paid all taxes collectible during the
previous year on property i'll the State
assessed at three hundred dollars $1,000
or more.
THE following persons are disqualified
from being registered or voting:
First Persons convicted of burg
larry. arson, obtaining goods or money
under false pretenses, perjury, forgery,
robbery, bribery, adultery, bigamy, wife
beating. house breaking, receiving stolen
goods breach of trust with fraudulent
intent, fornication, sodomy, incest, as
sault with intent to ravish, miscegena-
ton, larceny or crimes against the cleo
ton laws. Provided, That the pardon OF
the Governor shall remove such disquall-