The Waco daily examiner. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 187?-1888, 1883-02-02

THE POLL TAN AND VOTING
Senator Terrell, Of Austin, is the
suthor OF a joint resolution, offered
Wednesday, that will evoke no little
discussion, pro and con. II will also
be likely to bring down upon Terrell
himself q food Of condemAatory crit
icism. His proposition is to prohibit
from voting persous VINO fail to pay
poll tax. The EKAMrSEB has heard
Mr.. Terrell described as q polite pub
he man-oue who watches the cur
rents OF public sentiment and l.
shrewd enough TO be ever on the pop
u,ar -ide. That hc fathers such n
measure q. this shows him as any
thing bur "trimm r. 1t Will be
strange If every dcmagogue III the
state doe. not take tilt at mm.
while probably halt, it not more, of
he sovereign voters will re-
sent the proposition As an
outrageous insult, If not
u blow At "civil liberty 1t is to be
doubted il Senator Terrell can eugiu.
Ger his proposition to success. It will
get hard knocks in the legislature and
vigorous curses from the soyereigus
There can be no question though, AZ
to the -,ate'7 pOwer to establish such
qualification. In nany states the
right OF suffrage j. exercised under
tar more rigid provisions, notably in
Rhode Island aud Massachusetts,,
where there is a property qualitca.
ton. The only principle to be con-
sidered is as to the policy of such a
law how it will operate and the uIti-
mate results of it- operations. 1t can
hardly be charged that II is demo
cratic measure to cut down the col
ored vote, for the list OF delinqucnts
in every tax collectors Office
will show that white as
well AS colored men, cvade
the payment of poll tax.
As matter of fact it u next to i'm.
possible to collect the tax save from
men who have property subject TO
levy aud who, as II consequence, new
eI resist the payment of this or any
other tax. II is fundamental prln-
ciple Of political economy that every
citizen should render some support to
the government whose protection he
enjoys, and the man who grudges this
support is not worthy Of the privileges
Of citizenship. If ho does not contrib.
ute anything at all to the support Of
government, 1t H. a stretch of even re.
publicO-demoCritic license that he
should take part in shaping the course
of government, which he certainly
does when lac votes. He may claim
protection for his life, his person and
anything he may protection in
everything we doubt if there
is wisdom or justice to those
who do pay the taxes tc
permit such "A man to vote. The poll
tax in thus state ia very hight. It I.
not burden on any man, aud in ni
enlightened spirit Of ibcrality our
laws deyote the greater portion Of the
receipts from the tax to public educa.
tion. II there are citizins who are So
indifferent TO the privileges they en-.
, joy that II measure OF this kind must
, be devised to stimulate them, the
sooner 1t comes the better. The mcI
+ who ARE worthy OF voting will not b,
pisiraucmsod, aud the revenues will b,
increased to a beneficial degree. 1t th
EXAMINER had any amendment t,
offer to senator Torrcl's amendmen
it would be to add that aftcr-say iiv
years-there should be an intelligence
quahication--a poll tax receipt nov
and ability to read and write ON tn,
part of every man who offers to vote
after 1883 or 1890 at latest.