The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-02-05
1T REQUIRES PROPHECY.
A Gift That the Registration Commits
sion Needs in lis Work.

The Commissioners Must Be Able to
Discern Who viii Be Conflicting
Political Interests Some Months in
Advance of the Election-They Have
Advertised for Suggestions as to
Who Consider Themselves Conflict
ing Political Interests-Wiu Have to
Appoint Two Registrars Who
Must Represent as Far as Possible
All Conflicting Parties.
The registration commission which
will provide for the registration of voters
in the county elections and which was Gre
ated by act Of the last legislature to con-
sist Of the judges of the superior and
city courts and the Judge of the ordi-
dinary's court, has organized. The mem
bers were called together for that pur-
pose by Judge Falligant.
The registration of voters will begin
the first Monday in March, and will last
for three months. The two registrars
will have TO be selected, therefore, some
time this month, as they will have to
open the books in the ordinary's ONCE
and begin business on that date.
The commissioners are meeting with
some peculiar difficulties in the shape of
certain clauses in the act of the legisla-
ture which they do not know just ex-
actly how to comply with.
NOT ENOUGH TO GO AROUND.
Under the law they are only allowed to
appoint two registrars, yet they are re-
quired to give, If possible, all conflicting
political interests in the county represen-
tion among the registrars If it turns
out that there are three or four conflict
ing political interests, they will be in
somewhat of quandary, to say the least,
as it is hard matter to understand Just
how one man can represent more than
one political faction.
1t is probable that the commissioners
will coustrue the law to mean, however,
that the registrars to be appointed must
be men who will consclentiously and i'm
partially perform the duties intrusted to
them without regard to what par BY or fac
ton they may favor.
But the most peculiar difficulty of all
with which the commission meets In con-
STRUNG the law is that it's members must
be gifted somewhat with the powers of
prophecy. The elections referred to in
the statute are those for the general as
sembly and county officers, which take
place next fall.
AT A LOSS HOW TO ACT.
But the registration must take place
during the summer months and they
must determine, or so 1t seems at least,
what will be conflicting political interests
at that time They will want to know
what people consider themselves reflect
ing conflicting political interests, and
they would no doubt be glad to receive
suggestions as to what special conflicting
political interests will be in the field at
that time.
For this reason they have advertised
for suggestions as to who consider them
selves in that light, and though they have
not put it exactly that way, they have
asked for suggestions Of names as to who
to appoint as registrars OF course the
commission is not TO be bound by any sug-
gestions from any source, but it wants
sentatives of all political factions so
called and from all sides as to who would
be acceptable appointees.
The notice to conflicting political
interests published by the commits
sion gives anybody the option of making
suggestions, to DO handed in not later
than Feb 10, when the commissioners
will probably hold another meeting and
name the registrars. The commission
also has the power to fix the salaries Of
the registrars, and they will be required
to have personal charge of the registra-
tion books.
TO APPOINT IMPARTIAL MEN.
1t will no doubt construe the law to
mean that two impartial registrars must
be appointed, as that seems the most rea-
sonable construction. All persons who
want to vote In the elections mentioned
must present themselves for registratio
TO the registrars, between the first Mon
day in March and the first Monday in
June. On the latter date the books will
be closed. Every voter will have to fur
nish satisfactory evidence that he has
paid all taxes required of him since 1877,
and under the law no voter who is unable
to do this will be allowed to register until
he provides himself with such proof. 1t
is believed that this law will be strictly
enforced in all cases, and that no pre-
sumption in favor of those who are gen
orally known to have paid their taxes
will be taken as evidence without the
certified proof from the tax collector
In the meantime, it remains to be seen
who will come forward and announce
themselves outright as conflicting
political interests. The commission has
its duties to perform, and this informa-
to ID bnf 10