The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1898-01-21
ARTICLE +!

ARTICLE +!
fRNNrlUsE
section 2lo All election By the peo-
pie shall be by ballot
section eli Every maie inhahjtant
af this state, eXrept idiots, insane per Z
sons. and Indians not taxed, who is n
citizen of the United States twenty-one
years Old aud upwards who has resided
in this state two years. and oGe year III
the election district. or IN the incor'
pnrated city or town in which he offers
to vote, and who is duly registered as
provided in this article, and who has
never been convicted of bribery, bur
glary theft, arson obtaining money or
/ mods under false pYetenses,' perjury,
forgery ombeZliement or bigalnN gnd
~np has paid On pr before the H9t dny
of February ~ the yel' tn which he
shall offer n yo'e all tavt Talcn fijas
in,D been legally .runiro 5t hin, and
which he has had au A nnity of
paying according TO law, for the Two
preceding years, and who shall produce
TO the officers holding the election aGt
,factory evidence that he has paid said
taxes, Is declared to be a qaalihea
clcctor but any minister Of the gospel
in charge of au organized church shah
be entitled to vote after six months
residence in the election di-lrist. II
otherwise qualified.
4 Section PA. ON aHd aftci' thn flal,
t day Of January, A. H. 1892, eyeis
$ elector shall, in addition TO the !otega-
I ing qualifications. be able TO read any
c section Of the constitution of this state,
+ or be shall he able to understand the
t same when resd TO him, or give q re}
| ,onablc Interpretation thereof, j nov
I registration shall bo made before the
e next ensuing election after January the
c first, A. D. 1892.
The qualifications at the present time
! therefore, of an elrctor, are,
j l. Male. ,. Inhabitant of the state,
y excluding idiots, insane pereous aua In,
Y dams not taxed, ) Citizen Of the
United States, !, Twenty one ge3ri
/, old or upwards ). Eesideut' Of the
e state for two years. o Kfsident for
8 one year in the election disJict, or city
2, or town, except ministers of>the 10 pei
. who may vote on six months residence
/. :. Daily registered, 8 Never conylc
d ted Of bribery and the other eaC lera.e !
IS crimes o. IIas paid two years tazts
It 10. Able to read any section OF the ron
's stitutiOn Of the state; or b" ne " IN.
I, derstand the same wheuread to him X
=. give a reasonable Interpretation thert Z.
o 1t will be noted that these consttu'
, tional qualifications, unliSe the pro
i visions Of former fundamental laws
: are by the section above quoted mae
u to apply to electors in municipal elec,
u tons, the legislature however isaat~r
:" lied to prescribe additional 4Hali q
e tions. And it has prescribed as such
u additional qualifications. by the sc ipr
81 on that subject in the chapter OF ih'
se Annotated Code On municipalities fiia
10 the Yoter must have resided withln III
" corporate limits for one yearnext hefor
N he offers to register and be must not b
"a in default iu2 :: yes due the nlrnie,
y pality for the two preceding years
III Much has been said about this coast'
le' tution both for and against it, espe
~ cially has the understanding clanse,
ne the 10Th qualification as ennmsrate
~ above, been severely criticized Thu
IN we find in the American Law Rerie'
eh of January, February 1879. the f'llos
'' ing;
~. 1T Is quite apparent that this ciaill-
" was never intended to he carried 3,
a faithfully 1t will be so administere
80 AS to exclude the negro voters, hard
." one of whom will be eligible Jinler j
'r' and 80 as not to exclude tie igtornl
." a white voter The last qualification. Il
" ability TO give reasonable interpret
'eI ton Of any clause Of the constitution
~ the state would exclude nearly all u
',o lawyers and judges In the STATE
~ this manner the people of Mississip
'.e endeavor to solve the appalling proble
- Of carrying On civil government vita
'i.1 mass of voters easily corrupted and
- stolid and ignoran; as not p W ahlc.i
" understand the first principles VI ~,
political institutions
,ere Continued on Last Pdge.)