The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-08-01
E. dependent on thelr lab0r. for sup-

port.
 The President-The question is upon the amendment offered by the gentle man from Pike. r.
 MT. Sanford (Pike)-I will ask few moments of the time of the Convention tolexplain as nearly as can the ope- ration of the amendment l desire to say here that I am heartily in accord with the intention of the CommiTtee with reference to this section. but 1t occurs to me that the language or the first subdivision is entirely too proaos and would have the effect of being a great deal more far reaching in us effect than intended . Mir. Reese-I would like to suggest this amendment to the gentleman: "and having no visible means Of sup. port or being dependent on his iapor.
 MT. Samford-I will come to that: You will observe that the amenomeht suggested will cover that defect 1T you look at it closely. It provides that when a man Is not dependent upon HIS labor, that he need not have any eni- ployment, but when he Is depenoeht on his labor that he must be employed. and that carries with it the idea that men who have no visible means or support. men who hang around the low dives of the larger towns ana many of the smaller towns Of the SLaue' who shoot craps all night and sleep all day- MT. Cunningham-Would not the vis- ible means of support appear in the next subdivision. providing TOT prop erty qualification of $500.
 MT. Samford-Yes, that Is provided for in subdivision 2. Perhaps the amendment that I offer makes the pro vision here very closely to the inhibi- tion in Section of this Article. but you will observe the difference to De this: In Section 6, in order to keep man from exercising the right of fran chise, he must be convicted of being vagrant, which has been defined by the Supreme Court of this State several times. Under the amendment that. l offer here, and under the clause as re- ported by the Committee. it was in tended to meet a class of citizens known aas loafers and hangers-on, and a class that every man in this Con- vention is acquainted with, II he has been a close observer of the people in this State for many years. In the at tempt of the Committee to do exactly the right thing, they have, in my opinion, encroached upon another class of our citizens that ought not to be encroached upon. offer the amend nnent for what it is worth. desire the Convention to consider it, and If 1t is worthy of any consideration. to adopt it. and if not, then l am still wi.h the majority, as always am. I have no pride of opinion in the matter.
 MT. O'Neal-Will the gentleman per init an Interruption?
 MT. Sanrford-Certainly.
 MT. O'Neal-I want to call attention to Section 562S in the Code; "Any person who having no visible means of support, or being dependent on his labor. lives without employment, or neglects his employment. Now is not a man who has property and does not have to work covered by subdivision 2 of this Section? Q
 MT. Samford-No, don't think he is.
 MT. O'Neal-If he has property and does not have to work, Is he not GOV cred by Subdivision of this Section?
 Mir. Samford-If he has property.
 MT. O'Neal-If he has property, he is covered by Subdivision 2. The question I want to ask is, if he has no visible means of support, he is tramp or vagrant, as defined by law, and cov- cred by the other Section No. 6.
 Mir Samford-Suppose my son should return from college at the age of 21 years after having devoted the dirst twenty-one years of his life to the ac- quiring of an education, when he should return home I desired that he should look around the world for six months or a year, two years or five years, as the case may be. and I had the means to support him, would he be a tramp or a vagrant? Yet under this clause he could not vote. As l said. had nc pride of opinion in this matter. but il does reach class of our citizens that ought not to be reached. it appears to me.
 MT. Beddow-I desire to offer sub- stitUNe to the amendment of MT. Sam ford.
 The Secretary read the substitute as follows:
 Amend Section by striking out af- ter the word language" in the sew enth line, and including the word register in the ninth line.
 The President-The question will be upon the adoption of the substitute offered by the gentleman from Jeffer- son.
 Mir. Beddow-I heartily concur in the amendment of the gentleman from Pike. except in this, that it does not go far enough. If the substitute have offered for his amendment is adopted. it would strike out these words from the first subdivisions: And who being physically able to work, have been regularly engaged in some law ful business or occupation. trade or calling for twelve months next preced- ing the time they offer to register. Before the amendment was offered by the gentleman from Pike under this subdivision as 1t stood, coming from the Committee. it would prohibit from voting the capitalist who had made his fortune and who was resting upon his oars from his labors during his old age The amendment offered by the gentle man from Pike would cover that fl adopted, but there is another class oi good citizens, MT. President. who under this Section. that are likely to be de- barred from the right to vote in the elections of this State. Take the great mass of laborers in this country. under this subdivision, and 1t would be neces- ssry for him to work 365 days. or as many as there were working days in the year. It would require him tC work every one of these days. The language of this subdivision is that they must have been regularly en- gagged in some lawful business or oc- cupation, trade or calling Suppose one of our furnaces in the Birmingham Dis. trict should be banked on account oi the low price of iron for three months The result might be to throw out oi employment 300 men from that one furnace. Those men would be out oi employment without their own consent and under the terms of this subdivision as it stands, would not be regularly engaged in some lawful business or oc- cupation for twelve months next pre-