New-York tribune., 1896-12-07
EVILS OF POLL TAXES.

The Delaware Constitutional Convention,
which began its sessions last week, has before
It the task of adapting to present needs Con-
stitution framed more than century ago. Ii
has since been materially amended and its judi
ciary provisions remOdelled. but It's essential
spirt IS still that of the document drafted by
John Dickinson in 1701.
Many changes will suggest themselves to the
convention. The great inequality Of the coun-
ties in population forces again to the front the
question of aboshing equal representation in
the LEGISLATURE which was submitted to the
people in 1872 but was defeated. owing 10 the
jealousy of the two smaller counties. The one
county of Newcastle has more than four
sevenths of the population of the State, but has
ONLY three Senators and seven Representatives
while Kent and Sussex each have the same
representation Whether these two counties can
prevent Newcastle from gaining predominance
this time Is uncertain. but their chances Of doing
so are not small This IS unfortunate. for what
ever instice there may be in territorial repre-
sentaton regardless of population where locality
interests are involved which mere numbers
might overrde-and there is more justice in such
representation than we with our devotion To
majority rule are inclined to admit-it is certain
in small space like Delaware has retarded the
dpyelopment Of the State. Then there are the
questions of abolishing fees and extending the
number of elective officers to be considered, but
no one of these matters. not even the problem
of representation, is half so important to the
future of the State as the abolition of the poll
tax. to which at present there seems 10 De no
effective opposition
Delaware has had unenvable notorlety In the
last few years for corruption. 1t has offered an
attractive field for the political adventurer, and,
though quiet community without the great
prizes Of cosmopolitan centre. 1t has been
delused with money to an extent which makes
the notorious corruption Of some OF our cities
seem little less than respectable. The desenera-
ton caused by the annual purchase OF large
blocks of votes through the agency Of the poll
tax is not to be calculated. 1t Is as bad as direct
bribery at primaries and elections. The person
who once sells his vote as a party inan or a
citizen learns that he has q marketable com
modify, and he will not again dispose OF it with
out pay The elector who permits a political
boss TO enter him n voter stock raiser
enters his COW at n fair, has converted himself
from a free man into property, and he Is subject
to sale thereafter. The Delaware system was
meant TO make each voter contribute to the
State Treasury, and to guard the suffrage by
restricting 1t to those who had stability enough
TO pay the small tax and interest enough in pub
lie affairs to pay 1t. This was well enough until
the Campaign Committee with corruption fund
appeared. Then it paved the way for gigantic
and open political padrone system. All the mer-
cenary elements found that party leaders would
pay their poll tax for them. and settled down 10
demanding such payment as price or voting.
This process is described by the euphusm OF
getting out the vote, and Is so generally toll
Grated that large numbers of well-tOdO citizens
who would scorn q bribe allow themselves to be
dealt in like sheep, dcudng themselves with
the notion that their votes are their own, ana
that they only receive proper assistance In cast
ing them In the end such practices mean that
the longest purse wins the election. by extend
ing the suffrage TO more Of its partisans who
otherwise would not vote than the opposition
This is the evil that has been reproach to
both parties IN Delaware for many years. No
one party is to blame. If one does it the other
must. and both are victims Of the law which
puts premium on 'aid' to voting. There can
be no real reform in Delaware until the poll tax
is done away with. Experience there is Of value
TO students of government elsewhere, who are
sometimes inclined to look with favor on this
scheme of testing the quality Of the suffrage.