The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-01-30
FOR TIE PLAN
OF Mr.. TURNBULL
Mr.. Meredith Addresses the
Conference in its Behalf.
PATRON ALSO SPEAKS AGAIN
Finance and Taxation aud bill of Rights Cons
mittees Hold FINAL Mect;ng-Last
Report to Go ID To-Day.
Committee Gossip.
PATRON ALSO SPEAKS AGAIN


There was not quorum present at the
suffrage conference last nig.-t, but NY
Meredith preferred to conclude his argu-
ment in support of the Turnbuli plan.
He spoke for an hour, and devoted the
first portion of his speech to criticism of
the understanding feature of the ma
jority and minority plans, but said he
would much prefer the temporary TO the
permanent understanding clause He re-
iterated his statement made last Friday
night that he would much prefer the pres
ent suffrage law to an understanding
clause, which places every voter in the
State at the mercy of a registrar. He
warned Southsde and Black Belt mem
bers that in asking for so much they
We're running the risk of getting nothing
but a poll-tax prerequisite for voting.
Mr.. Meredith preferred the Turnbull
plan to any one that had been introduced.
He said he wished that something be-
sides a property qualification could pc
found. but he did not believe anything
else would do. If a person could not
accumulate 500 worth of property in tive
years, he didn't think he was very much
in earnest in trying to purge the cleo
toratc.
The old soldiers of the Confederate
and Union army would be relieved from
the qualification and all who were sixty
years OF age at the time of the adoption
of the Constitution. And for five years
after the adoption Of tic Constitution the
sons of all old soldiers would be relieved
from the property requirement. lie al
vocated the property instead of strict
real estate requirement, because thous-
ands of white people in cities who did not
own any real estate had 500 worth of per-
sonal property, such as furniture, tools,
etc. He thought the property qualllica-
ton added to the poll-tax requirement
would eliminate a large majority OF inc
negro vote and thus relieve the situation
and avoid the necessity of having lrau-
dulent or partial administrator Oh an
understanding clause.
At the conclusion OF MI Meredith's
speech. Mr. Turnbull again spoke in sup
port OF the plan. He devoted most OF
his time to showing that the negroes dld
not own near as much property as Mr.
Flood had stated He insisted that his
plan would let in nearly every white man
and would eliminate nearly all the nc
groes. He said the people of his section
were perfectly willing to accept straight
$500 property qualification lie urged tilat
the only honest, constitutional, AUTOMATIC,
seif-administrativc plan was a properly
Qu3Il1catfOn. TIC C!diliied Liihh ''i'NA~i 80
understanding clause a negro who was
smart enough to accumulate Sleo worth
of property would be smart enough 10
get registered.
At 10 O'Clock the conference adjourned
until Thursday night
Mr.. Stuart will discuss his plan tonight
The Committee on Finance and TAXA
ton held its last meeting yesterday al
teanoon and finally adopted the fepoit
as drafted by the subcommittee appointed
ror that nurnose two weeks ago. There
is no material change in the report from
the one published in full i'll The Times
of Tuesday, January 2ist, except tnat Inc
section which provides that the system
of taxation embraced in the report, 50
far as it relates to corporations shall not
be changed until 1919, is modified so that
In case of a reduction of the rate OF taxa
tion on other classes of property within
that time, a corresponding reduction can
be made as to corporate property.
Truly the convention is nearing the end
of its herculean task. The reports TO be
presented this morning from the Bin OIL
Rights and the Finance Committees COM
plete the committee work. Every staliu-
ing committee of the convention Will nave
fled its final report and fired its last
shot.
The Committee on Bill of Rights held
its last meeting yesterday afternoon ana
agreed to submit its report to the con-
,eo+ion this morning. The resolution
adopted several weeks ago relating TO
liquor licenses will be recommended. a
majority of the committee recommends
thai no license to sell intoxicating liquors
il, quantities of less than one gallon or
To be drunk where sold, shall be granted
il, any town or county of this State Will
out the written request Of Il majority in
number of the legally quallned and reg
istered voters resident in the town or III
ihc precinct of the county where such
LIQUORS are to be sold: nor shall this re-
striction interfere in any way with the
local option or dispcnsary laws existing
at the time of the adoption OF the Con
stitution Cities have been stricken out
of the original resolution.
Messrs. Carter. Epes, Petit, Hatton
and Wescott will file minority report,
opposing the Incorporation of any liquor
license provision in the Constitution
The report will contain eight sections
Five will relate to homestead and Other
exemptions: one to church property; one
TO heirship of property, and the last one
TO sale of Intoxicating liquors. The first
seven sections are practically the same
as the provisions of the present Consti-
tuition Mr.. Barbour, who has insisted on
q material change in the homestead law,
will file a minority report, containing his
amendments.
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