The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1897-12-18


acquainted with the dispositions Of Tho
:olorcd people, il, regard to tlc payment
i taxes, would hardly credit many OF
acm with :: disposition 10 pay i'll Two
oltces. Besides most Of them need not
10 informed about the poll tax.
1t should be required that payment
must have been made during each one OF
size years intervening between the election
1t which enc desires to vote and the one
If the same kind preceding it-from state
lection ana from congressional erection to
congress i,nal clcction--hy all who shall
AYE resided in tbs state during such
periods: while persons becoming citizens,
" attaining ma jority, in the time inter
veining between elections should be re-
CURED to show that lil poll taxes hrcon,-
i,r due between tho time of attainment
of citizenship or majority had been paid
before becoming past due. Every pay
nent should lie made during the year III
wh Oh it becomes due; becanse while it
is not likely that politicians would com
mcnce the payment Of taxes for others
four or even two years before elections in
the hope Of manipulating votes, it is rcas-
o"ahly certain that money for tho pay
ment of back taxes would be improperly
furnished i'll mans eases payment of the
whole Immediately before an election
would be sufficient to qualify one for par
ticipation in it.
l believe that, if this plan We're adopted
not only would the greater part of tie
negro vote be practically eliminated. Int
that many Of the white people who vote
only to accommodate others, or ''for con-
sideration," would, in consequence of a
failure ON their part to comply with re-
qn'rement1, he unable TO participate in
elections, while no worthy voter, whether
capitalist or laboror, ]; armed runlearnsl,
would necessarily he DISTINGUISHED. In
every case in which one would fail 10
comply with requirements. no one but he
individual, who wurlI lose his vote in
consequence Of such failure, wonlu be to
blame for the loss.
OF course, it helng reasonably certain
that vast majority of the cnlorel people
even those whose assessments arc con
siderablc-wil' not pay poll taxes under
this arrangement, the colorcd schools will
lose The revenue now obtainal,le from
this source. However, under the present
conditions. this loss to the negro schools
can be regarded as an evil small in cn,,-
rarison 10 those which might result from
placing in the hands of assessors and ex
amining boards, who would he ACTUALLY
responsible to no one for the way il, which
such power would be employed, power to
create or wipe ont mAjorit;es
There need be no serious objection to.a
requirement that one, 1lot already voter.
mna' he able to read theEnyls!, language
ilNcntiy before being allowed to register.
A provision for this might be coupled WITH
the pol! tax prerequisite, and, as it wonI.I
he nnlyapplicahle to the eases of hose who
"naI DO minors or aliens at the. time Of
its adoption, it world .|isl'anc!l,se no one.
Such All arrangement woUj:l be very MUCK
better than u requirement. for an cdnra-
tlonal test for all persons not possessed OF;
property having al assessed value Of not
less than three hundred dollars. Tie lat
ter proposition is objectionable, because it
necessarily DISTINGUISHES many worthy
white men. who in an humble capacity
have rendered services to and endured
hardshjps for THEN count y; vale it is
Il poor means to tic end sought, us there
are many more negroes than whites among
the illiterutes who pny taxes on assess
mcn!s of three hundred dollars or over,