St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1898-12-03
THE POLL TAX.

The publication of the poll tax
article in the Picayune of Sunday
occasioned widespread discussion
Even the politicians had grown un-
mindful of the great prerequisite
to vote after the general state cleo
ton of 1900, or were totally igno-
rant of its existence. The article
of the constitution Q9s), which
was published in full, showed clear
ly and unequivocally that for one
to vote in any election which may
be held during the year 1900, after
the general state election, he must
present certificates to the commits
sioners of election showing that his
poll taxes for 1898 and 1899 had
been paid for each of those years
before the 3lst day of December
Of that year; that is, the poll tax
for 1898 must have been paid be-
fore the 31st day of December,
1898, and for 1899 before Dec. 81,
1899.
1t will be remembered that dur
ing the constitutional convention
the poll tax resolved itself into the
pivotal point of all the discussions
and distractions of the suffrage ar
ticle. A strong endeavor vas made
to knock it out altogether, but the
friends of the poll tax developed
such great strength that the best
its opponents could secure by way
Of compromise was to stay its
operations until after the general
state election of 1900. Consider
ing the heavy strain to which some
IF the city politicians were subject
ed at the time, it seems passing
strange that in face of the article
inscribed in the constitution, they
81 Guild contend as they were doing,
that poll tax certificates for 1898
will not be required of electors who
offer themselves to vote at an cleo
ton in 1900 after the general state
election. The arguments they ad-
vance in support of their conten-
tions against the poll tax being a
prerequisite at any election in 1900
are all absolutely indefensibIe in
face of the PLAIN letter of the law,
and perhaps their most specious
one is the following:
They contend that the intent
of poll tax was that it be made a
prerequisite to registering. As it
is not required for the general state
election of 1900, the party offer
ing himself to be registered before
April 1900, or in time to vote in
the general state election, will not
be required to produce his poll tax
receipts for the two years proceed
ing. He will thus secure a regis
tration certificate which will enti-
tie him to vote in any election that
will be held during that year.
They 60 further in their contention
by saying that as there will be a
large registration for the state elec-
ton, nearly everyone will have Sc
cured his registration certificate in
time to obviate the necessity Of
producing his poll tax receipts.
1t is quite evident that these
politicians who really argued that
way had not read the article of the
constitution referred to with suffi-
Gent care and attention, and they
must have overlooked the clause,
s'Every person liable for such tax
shall, before being allowed to vote,
exhibit to the commissioner of
election his poll tax receipts for
two years, issued on the Official
form, or duplicate thereof in the
event of loss, or proof of payment
of such poll taxes may be made by
crtificate Of the. tax collector,
which shall be sent to the commls.
sioners of the several voting pre-
cincts, showing list of .those who
have paid said two years. poll tax
as above provided, and the dates of
payment" 1t will therefore be
seen by mere glance at that pro-
vision that the poll tax receipts
will be prerequisite to voting
rather than registering, and it
it would be we'll for everyone who
may have a councilman or a legls-
lator to elect to fill a vacancy
caused by death or resignation, and
who may desire to participate in
such election as we'll as in the
congressional election to be held in
the fall of 1900 to step up and pay
his one dollar poll tax for this year
before the 3lst of the month
Picayune.