The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1907-04-20
r. P. Reese Was Prominent
Among Those Who Dis
CuSsed 1t.
TELEGRAPH BILL AND
REESE'S BILL CONFIRMING
WATER FRONT TITLES BOTH
PASS HOUSE-SENATE OVER
SHADOWED BY HOUSE MEAS
URES.
Speci4I to The journal.

SpeCidl 10 ne JOURNAL
Tallahassee. April I9.-The fight in
the legislature was over the Watson
primary election bill, which was the
special order in the house of repre-,
sentatives yesterday morning Taken
up at II o'clock, the clerk had read
a portion of its thirty-two sections
when the hour Of adjournment, one
arrived, and caused IT'S pOstponement
until tomorrow. But not until after
two spirited debates, one OF them last
ing an hour and both leavl lS the bill
as reported by the cor mlttee, OF
which its author is chat man, the
committee on privileges an electionse
practically intact.
The first amendment - the bill
was proposed by MIR. knight, of Co,
lum bia, who moved TO strike out the
poll tax qualification for voting in prt
mary elections. Mr.. knight made a
speech in favor of his amendment
saying that this state is possessed or
three classes of voters, the honest
class, the purchasable elias nd the in
different class, who will Ote which
ever way they are desi-e by the
men who will pay their pc ! taxes. He
and answering objecdone that it
would deprive the school fund of
large revenue asked how many OF
the members of the house wanted
their children educated out of fund
that was virtually used 10 corrupt the
politics of the stale? BIT Ar. watson.
made a speech in favor Of the bill
as reported, Judge Griggs of Frank
lin did not believe there was so mucn
corruption from this source. and Mr..
Reese OF Escambia also held similar
views The motion recei-ed no sup
port from any quarter. ana was laid
on the table by practically a unanl-
nous vote.
Reese's important Amendment.
The next amendment was offered
by MI Reese, and that was to strike
from the bill the clause authorizing
election inspectors to assist in the
preparation of their ballots those who
can not read well enough to marx
their own ballots. and this brought
on an hours debate. 1t was cOntended
by MI Reese, who led the fight, Mr..
MacWilliams of st. Johns and Mr..
Farris of Duval that while man is
not dishOneSL because he is ignorant,
the greatest good to the greatest mum
Der could best be SubServed by retain
ing an educational qualification, and
keeping sacred the secrecy of the
ballot, the Objectionable clause pro
viding that one or more" of the in
spectors might prepare the ballot for
the electOr under the circumstances
named. while the amendment was
vigorously opposed by Mr.. Watson.
Mr.. Griggs Mr.. RichbOurg of Wakul-
la, Mr.. Knight of Columbia, Mr.. Du-
n,
Faux of Taylor, saying in plain Ian
guage that public sentiment is the
most powerful law there is, and that
in the communities where the people
would feel they were outraged by lis
provisions, the proposition if enacted
into law would be violated habitUally.
Mr.. FaTTiS said it would not be
real violation of the law to fudge"
upon it a little in the rural cOmmuni-
ties where it would work a hardship
upon good citizens who had the mis-
fortune not TO be able TO read; i WAS
intended 10 prevent corruption in the
large cities where there is 4 large
purchaSable vote. and where. in order
10 show that they had delivered the
goods, corrupt voters would take ad-
vantage of the law to have the in
spectOrS prepare their ballots, and Mr.
GCCGSe uWGlJ 6Sllt'G' ally upon the DR.
gument that it world open wide the
doors for subterfuEsE. and for the i'll
spectOrS to defraud ignorant electors
out Of their votes. While Nj. MdcNIl-
liams's strong point Was the secrecy
OF the ballot, laying stress upon a
democratic primary election in Flor
ida being equivelant TO election.
The supporters of the original bill
against these arguments spoke in be
half Of the white people of the state.
good democrats, who had consented
10 be shut out of the general cleo
tons in order 10 get rid Of The negro
vote, but who ought 20 be allowed 10
express their will in white primaries
the pioneers who had saved the state
from reconstruction, the Confederate
veterans who had given four years OF
their life 10 their country. and who
would be shut out If the educational
test were retained, and the amend
ment lost overwhelmingly 49 to Z,
the men who voted for their COnvic-
lions in the face OF certain defeat
being MessTs- FaTris. NIacWilliams
Mathews of Marion, Ogilvie OF Mas
Sau. Reese. Smith Of Lake. and Willis
of Gadsden- Mr. Wilson OF fernando