The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-06-06
Failed TO Specify.

Governor Blease is quoted as say
ing in his speech at Whitmires in
Newberry county Saturday, that the
recent revision of the constitution of
the Democracy of South Carolina was
an attempt to deprive the poor white
man of his vote. 1t is hard to be-
lieve the governor made such a state
ment, for that statement is az in
suit to the intelligence Of the poor
white man. The poor white man has
little or no money, otherwise he
would not be poor white man, but
whoever picks him out for a fool
will find himself badly mistaken.
Governor Blease did not, apparent
ly go into details. He made a charge
and let 1t go at that. Therein he
was wise. for it is impossible to show
wherein the new constitution makes
an attempt to deprive the poor white
man of a vote. Take the changes
made by the new constitution and an
alyze them and try and discover
wherein they even squint at depriving
the poor white man Of vote.
l. The old club rolls were abolish
ed and new ones ordered. Does that
deprive the poor white man of q
vote? In Greenvtlle county We know
such a change was necessary. The
last county convention was absolute
proof Of the need Of a change. The
city. with less than a fifth Of the
voting strength Of the county, con-
trOlled the convention because of
over-representatiOns through un-
purged club rolls. Did not the old
constitution rob somebody of vote
when it permitted such unfair club
rolls? The class Blease refers to as
poor white men" had not a ghost
of show in that convention. They
ought to rejoice that under the new
constitution such a. convention will
be impossible.
2. Hereafter delegates to county
conventions will he chosen by clubs
on the basis Of their actual voting
strength as shows by the poll list
in the first primary OF the preceding
election year and not on the basis Of
unpurged or padded club rolls. Does
this menace the poor white man? Ii
SO, how?
3. If man can write, he must put
his own name on the new club roll.
with his residence, etc. so he can be
identified. If he cannot write, the
secretary will do it for him. Where
in does this menace the vote Of the
poor white man? Under the old
rules the secretary put his name on
the club roll and under the new
will continue to do so, If the poor
white man cannot write.
4. Under the new rules. a man
must vote in the precinct in which
he lives and join the nearest club.
Is that unjust to the poor white
man? Does it threaten to take
away his vote? If 80, how?
6. Under the new rules a man
cannot vote in the primary unless lie
has lived in the Estate two years,
instead Of one. as was the require
ments under the old rules. How
| many poor white men move into
this State? There does not seem to be
hit those in easy circumstances
harder blow than it will the poor
white man. There are lots of COM
mercial travellers. for instance. who
will not be able to vote in the pri-
mary this year because they have not
been in the State two years. Let
each poor white man who reads this
article see if he can find even one
poor white man who will not be able
to vote because OF raising the State
residence requirement to two years
from one.
6. Under the new rules the club
rolls have to be closed long enough
| ucioIc the pTlTldEC 10 peIHiit ouS"
study Of them as viii detect duplica-
tions, wrong enrolments, etc. No
honest poor white man objects to this
provision to protect his vote from
being killed by that of a man not
entitled to vote.
Governor Blcasc will find ii hard
to specify wherein the new rules work
/ any special hardship upon the poor
white man or tend TO deprive him of
his vote. The poor white man who
does his own thinking will have no
desire for sympathy because of the
new rules for he is perfectly able to
reason out that they are fair rules
and make for more honest club meet
ings, conventions and primaries
Greenville Piedmont.