The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1896-04-22
10 Faith In Registration.

COLUMBIA, April 1O.-It does really
seem as il the gravity of the registration
now going is not appreciated by the
average voter. Indifference seems to be
prevalent in almost the entire State and
with the exception of a few localities the
registration seems to be merely jogging
along. In Columbia, where there is O
population large enough to keep The reg
istration officers constantly busy for at
least several weeks, there has already
been q decided falling off and the average
tor the past day or two will not be fifty.
But the conditions here are not different
from what they are in other parts OF the
State, from what can be heard and seen
in the county papers. What is the cause
of the slowness and apparent Indifference
has to be guessed at. Of course there ia
an abundance Of time, and it may be as
it is with taxes, everyone will want to
get in at the last minute, but it will be
we'll to remember that every one cannot
be attended to in q day or two where
there is an examination to be had. If
there is not q decided squirt in the regis
tration there will bs q decided falling off
from even the number of thoseoeIpeoted
to participate In the ~De1tgeneral election,
and added to this will be the complica-
tions oftax receipts. The old Registration
law is now a thing of the past, but 1t was
in vogue for q very long time and some
people may think that the new law Is
did. That may be the case, but it ought
not to be so. In former years in aome of
the counties Git will be said for the sake
of not giving any registration officer
ofence) it was the custom for the Demo-
cratic clubs to make up q roll Of all Of
those who had lost or were entitled to
registration certificates and this lis; was
handed into the registration officer. The
club man would in due time return and
get the registration certificates for distri-
button among the members of the club.
That Is past and gone. It NAV be done
again, but if the registration officers have
any regard for the law and there is any
way to prevent 1t such a thing ought to
be avoided. It used to be charged that
certain clubs could have this plan carried
out, while others could not, and 1t de-
pended very much on the political faith
Of the Democratic applicants whether
they would be allowed to bunch the
names and have the certificates made out
at the convenience Of the supervisor.
The idea Is that q great many white men
who have been accustomed to this order
Oh LQl1Eb, OuRut w udS0 Guo oAu-IiGlo
notion Of having some n else attend to
their certificates taken out of their heads,
and that they should know that under
the new law q personal visit Is the only
way to get the certificate. The colored
voters are accustomed to have to wait and
personally apply for their certificates, and
they are now the most active in obtaining
| registration. It may be that there will
be found on most of the boards men who
will object to issuing certificates in
| punches, even If so ordered by the
"bosses'i before election day, and the
safest plan will be for everyone who cares
FIR the right to vote to get a certificate,
| and the sooner the better.
The commissioners In Columbia are
now, by direction, requiring the exhibit
ton of a poll tax receipt before issuing g
certificate. In caseg where men have
failed to bring their certificates with them
the commission Is recognizing an 10,
T." slip from the county treasurer to the
effect that the poll tax has been paid. AS
a pointer it may be noted that the next
Governor may appoint to the office OF
treasurer such candidates as are auggest-
ed by the county primaries.-Neps and
Courier.