The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-03-19
FIGHT over Plan
May BE NEAR END.
Better Prospect Of Compromise
Being Reached Soon.
COMMITTEE TAKES UP.MATTER.
Holds Meeting With Many Others Present,
aud Discusses Sltuatlon-stuart
Proposition, Which Meets
With Favor.

The Democrats suffrage conference has
In the past ten days found itself at dill
ferent times Sin the air. and lat sea.
but yesterday it became absolutely va
terlogged,'' and realizing this per1lous
condition, when the afternoon session was
called concluded to cast anchor and take
bearings to avoid shipwreck.
The morning session had been devoted
almost entirely to an effort to repair the
damage which the McIlwaine amendment
had done to the property qualification
enfranchisement scheme. But after a
warm discussion the motion to reconsider
was defeated.
Then Mr.. Thornton came to the relief
by an amendment extending the exemp
ton from property prerequisite to
sons and grandsons of soldiers who have
served in any war. The adoption OF this
amendment meant some progress towards
making the Glass plan acceptable to the
black belt. Just before adjournment,
however, the vote by which this was
adopted was reconsidered and eve 7ytnlnS
was at sea again. the conference being
in exactly the position it was upon ad-
journment Monday afternoon.
Consequently, when the members as
sembled at 4 o'clock and the vote was
about to be taken on the ORIGINAL Tho-n
ton amendment. Mr.. Thornton. who had
formerly trained on the Gass side. W0tc
bitterly opposed it. made personal eX-
PLANTATION as to why he voted to recon-
slider his own amendment and stated
that he realized the gravity OF tn" stu
alton and would vote for 1T again lie al
vsed that instead Of taking a vote the
conference adjourn until to-day, and let
the leaders of conflicting plans and IN
terests endeavor by personal conference
in the meantime to get gether and agree
upon some compromise. Mr.. Watson
strongly favored this course. and a motion
to adjourn was unanimously adopted.
DIFFERENT CONFERENCE HELD
After the recess Senator Daniel r,nd
other leading members held a confer
ence among themselves, which resulted
in calling together the whole Suffra ST
Committee and others interested in the
suffrage matter.
A session was held in the Supreme
Court chamber, lasting until after Z
o'clock.
Conciliatory speeches were made by
Messrs. Flood, Meredith, Watson, Cor
don, Barbour, BraXton, Thorn, Ayers
and Stuart
Mr. Glass would not attend the meet
ing at first. He was sent for by spe-
cial messenger and finally went.
When he was called on to give his
views. he took the position that he had
nothing to do with adjourning the con-
ference, since his plan was gaining
ground all the time, and while he meant
no disrespect to the committee, he did
not consider it had any authority to
take the matter up as the conference
had not recommitted his suffrage plan,
or my other, back to them.
Chairman Daniel stated that it was
thought best to have the committee to-
gether, and in conference with all who
were interested. especially in conflicting
plans. and that general and special in
vtation had been extended to all to
confer togethere in an effort to recon
Gle differences. Mr.. Glass insisted that
his understanding was that the property
qualification enfranchisement side had
an offer Of compromise to make to his side.
and that was the reason for the adj
jourEment
The outcome Of it all was the assem-
blcd committee, including all partici-
pants, agreed to recommend to the con-
ference this morning that it hold no
session until o'clock. SO that private
terms for compromise could be effected.
MR. STUARTS PROPOSITION.
IT all the talks about Cancellation, CON-
premise, ETC., Mr.. Stuart was the onl:-
speaker who made tangible. practical
offer. His proposition was liberal, and
promises q basis upon which it would
q
to extend the Glass temporary under
standing clause for five years. taking the
Thorn understanding Of the duties of the
officer voted for as the educational fea-
ture instead of the Glass reading. WITT
ing or explaining Of the Constitution
clause. He would require that all VINO
applied for registration after the tenn
poi airy understanding clause had ceased
to pay the poll taxes that had accumu-
lated against them before being admitted
to registration. This would eTectually
prevent negroes who had been shut out
by the five-year understanding clause
f, ON getting on the book after 1t had
ceased. IIe would take the Glass perra-
nent plan. relaxing the stringent educa-
rioral test to some extent.
The proposition of Mr.. Stuart seemed to
meet with approval from the perr~.- ~
understanding ard the property quaifica-
zion leaders present. It promises to be
worked out into practical plan, around
which nj! forces car rally.
That is the situation this morning, ard
It really seems that to-day's private con-
lie, ences may result in an amicable agree
nent of some kind.
Rev. L r. Mason, pastor of Grace Epis.
copal Church. opened the convention with
prayer yesterday. sixty-seven members
answering the roll-call
Major Allen presented an invitation
from the Chamber Of Commerce Of Rich
nlond to attend the sessions OF the Good
Roads Conference and the woodworking
exhibition on Floyd Avenue
On motion of Judge Garnett the thanks
Of the convention were rendered for the
invitation.
The convention adjourned, and the
Democratic Suffrage Conference was cali
ed to order at 1920 O'Clock. NJ. Lind
say Gordon made an earnest and itnpas-
stoned appeal for reconsideration OF the
vote by which the McIlwaine amendment
was adopted, which struck out lawful
descendants from the Gordon property
qualification amendment.
The motion to reconsider was rejected
by vote of q to 20, TINS retaining the
McIlwaine amendment. which excludes
! from tbs provision Of the property quail
fication OF $500 only soldiers and their
cons.
He re-capitulated the eyi's that negro
suffrage had brought upon the State. and
gave history OF the expedients that
had been resorted to from time to time to
prevent negro domination in local and
State politics.
He urged members not to kill the prop