The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1907-05-10
Sentiment in Favor of Meas
ure Underwent a
Change.
OF MARION, LED SIC
CESSFUL FIGHT AGAINST THE
MEASURE WHICH WAS KILLED
BY VOTE OF 4s TO 15-cOUNTY
DIVISION IN THE HOUSE,
BY A. 4. Roherts.


Tallahassee, May BY an over
whelming vote, As to Is, the house of
representatives yesterday afternoon
killed the Beard amendment which
passed the senate almost unanimously
rs to D, the earlier part of the ses-
sion, which provided for limiting the
suffrage in this state to white male
citizens over the age of 81 years.
The proposed amendment had been
made a special order for three o'clock
yesterday afternoon, and Tuesday
evening Senator Beard, In accordance
with a resolution adopted by the
house, addressed the members and
the public in the representatives hall.
explaining the amendment and its
objects which was to test the validity
of the fourteenth and fifteenth amend
ments to the constitution of the Unit
States, the first of which confers
citizenship upon the negro and the
second gives him the right of suffrage.
II is the contention of Senator Bead
and his friends in this measure that
these two amendments to the federal
constitution, adopted at a time when
eleven OF the southern states were
without representation in congress,
not having been restored to their
status prior to the war between the
states, were not adopted in conform
ity with the provisions of the cCnsti-
tuition for its own amendment. and
therefore are not binding. This was
the basis of the fight for the amend
ment.
Sentiment Changed.
When the proposed amendment was
acc pied almost unanimously by the
senate. generally considered without
a. -rffN lNa
ing the conservative" body of the leg
islature, its adoption by the house
seemed assured But as time went on
tic sentiment in favor of the AMEND
roent underwent change, and wien
the resolution was called up ysSter
day afternoon for final passage. its
death was assured Notwithstanding
this. Mr.. Boards colleague in the
house, Mr.. Reese of Escam bia. Under
took the. offensive with ability and
earnestncss, if not with the enthu-,
siasm that is accentuated by GER
tainty of winning. Mr.. Reese went
thoroughly into the history of The last
two amendments to the federal consti-
tuition, and read the famous Oredd
Scott decision to show the legal
status of the negro prior to the adop-
ton of the anti-slavery amendments,
man, the status of the negro would be
the same to-day, if the 14th and 18th
amendments are not valid The lis
tinction is drawn between these two
amendments and the 18th that. as he
southern states were unrepresented in
congress of their own volition during
the time in which the 18th amend
ment was ratified. they cannot now
complain of any irregularity in its
adoption. while the other amendments
we're adopted after the war was over,
and while the southern states We're.
Unlawfully deprived of their represen-
tation in congress. Mr.. Calkins pf
Nassau. and Mr. Dupont of st, JONAS,
also spoke in favor of the amendment.
Mr. Calkins holding that the state
could well afford to lose a part of its
representation in congress in order 10
get rid of the negro vote. and Mr.. 0u-
pont insisted that the matter should
be submitted to the people of Florida
at the polls.
Mathews Led Fight.
Mr.. Mathews. of Marion led the
fight against the amendment express
ing the opinion that the attempt at
this time to secure an adverse de
cision upon the regularity of the
amendments would be fruitless, and
would be the source of needless
trouble. Mr.. Knight of Citrus went
back in reminiscent mood TO the
days of Reconstruction, and advised
the house against taking any action
which would be liable, 70 bring about
the passage of another force bill"
with the control of the elections by
the federal government, and placing
the polls in the hands of L. s. sol
diprS Mr. MarNTjIIiaulS IF CT IohpS