The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-03-19

&IlenOuleHs 6OVVS<AANS 1fi0 49,
SIlwaine amendment and opposing this
motion to reconsider.
DR.. McIlwaine next offered an amend
ment to section OF the temporary UNDER
standing plan, to strike out lawful de-
scendant OF any soldier &C., and insert
"son, &C.
The effect OF this would be to exempt
from the requirement. OF being able to
understand and give reasonable expla-
nation OF any section Of the Constitution
only soldiers or their sons
Mr.. Glass strongly opposed this. claim
ing that it was out OF order to go back
to section while section was under
consideration The Chair sustained the
point OF order.
Mr.. Thornton then moved to add gram
son. to the amended provision OF section
three, so that the exemption from the
property qualification Of the Gordon
amendment should extend to the srano-
sons as we'll as the sons Of soldiers
This was also opposed and voted against
by the GIass-paniel forces and sustained
by the Thom-G Gordon side. It was adopt
ed, 81 to So
Upon the announcement OF this result
there was the usual furry over a sur
price vote It was recognized as another
defeat for the neutrality-suspicious. Glass
contingent and u victory for the Gordon
side, as 1t relaxed the operation OF thu
property qualification and repaired IN
measure the damage done to 1t by ths
adoption of the AIcIlwaine amendment.
striking out descendants and substi'
tuting sons in the original Gordon
Observation-Disclosures amendment.
TO AID VOTERS.
Captain Parks introduced an amendment
to the clause allowing any person prior
| to 1908 to be aided in the preparation OF
his ballot by such person as he may
| himself designate.
| The amendment provides that the leg.
stature shall be given the power to pro-
| vide for this as it may deem best.
! There was two hours symposium OF de-
| bate here by Messrs. Parks, O'F!aherty'
| Richmond. keezell and Stuart over tha
evils OF vote-buying in their section.
| great many instances Of fragrant corrup-
| ton were related. and in supporting tNe
amendment these members sought to
| break it UP.
While Mr.. Stuart agreed with the OBJ
| jects OF the amendment. he did not think
| it wise to leave it to the Legislature, and
| offered an amendment providing that any
one of the election officers upon request
| of the voter could aid in the preparation
| OF his ballot.
Captain Parks made another speech de-
failing the extent of corruption In thu
purchase of votes in the white counties.
Mr.. James w. Gordon Closed the long
discussion by offering another amend
ment and congratulating the convention
that from what he had just heard thu
negro question was nothing at all compar-
ed to the white question in the mountains.
He also charged that election judges in
his section were sometimes bought by Re-
publicans and by one faction of tina
Democratic party against another faction.
Several other amendments of one kind
or another were offered and when the
smoke of confusion and roll call turmoil
had rolled away and every amendment
was defeated, motions to reconsider were
made.
On suggestion from Senator Eun.e1
| that the conference had gone off ca az
other trail and left the negro Gu .tion.
these motions to reconsider were oussed
by. General Ayers then moved to recon-
slider the vote by which the Thornton
amendment inserting "grandsons' to thu
Gordon property qualification was adopt.
ed. The conference was again on this
right track.
Mr.. r. l.. Gordon in opposing the motion
declared that If it carried it meant tha
destruction OF the Glass plan. While he
had signed the permanent understanding
plan, he did SO because there was nothing
else. He preferred the Glass plan with
his amendment to the permanent UNDER
SltnulnS CLAUSE ttt> was NOEeSS tTSlHH
to perfect the Glass plan. so that he would
not be driven to the permanent under
standing principal.
NO PROPERTY QUALIFICATIONS.
General Ayers said it had just as well b.
understood now as later that there were
| members OF the convention who would not
accept any property qualification schema
in any form whatever under any circum-
stances at any time, here or hereafter. II
p1oir kjno 70 he
done right now. He thought the pe.n nd
| nent understanding clause was entirc.r
constitutional and the best solutio.. ios-
| sibie of the fundamental sectional diife,
ences OF opinion. He said this was tns
reason why he had made the motion to
reconsider.
| Mr. Glass in supporting the motion to
| reconsider the vote. warned members that
| If it was not done they would not have
| his plan with n propertv qualification. but
would kill it. and thereby be driven to tho
permanent understanding plan. which had
! once been badly defeated. The motion to
reconsider was adopted by vote vt y
to 30 and pending reconsideration OF the
| amendment the conference at O'Clock
| took a recess until 4 o'clock
| Ctcye rlion, ersnue srd Gnss'o.
| The suffrage conferences are largely at
| tended at each session now. many ladies'
| coming regularly to watch the intensa1
| interesting proceedings. There were many
| apparently disappointed yesterday after
| noon when they found the conference had
quit operating for the ronce.
| Attorney General Anderson apparently
! does not approve OF any adjournment
| of the conference this morning. He w2s
! so confident at the conference Of the
| committee and other leaders yesterday
afternoon. that any such rrcommenda-
| ton by the unanimous vote of the SUI
! frase Committee would be resented by
those who had been voting with him ans
Mr. Glass on ali questions In conse-
ounce OF this opinion the recommendation
was made by the twenty-three memEers
present. not acting as a formal commit
tee.
| General Rufus A. Ayers has returend
from ten-days' leave TO his home at
Big Stone Gap and participated III ths,
suffrage conference yesterday. nehe,a.
| Ayers says that there is now no disorder
! NJ the coal mines: that the lnLn1n mine