The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-09-03
LOOKS LIKE NO CONTEST.
OF VOTERS CON-
TINUEs VERY SLOW.

About Half the Number Registered
in 1896 Now on the BoOIxs-Omce of
the Registration Clerk Open Until
O'clock in the Afternoon tn e
Total Registration Now But Little
More Than 5000 - Books TO Close
for the October Election on Sept.
IA.
The registration list for the coming
state and county elections gives abundant
evidence of the fact that there Is going to
be no excitement.
Although the registration books will
close within about ten days time, there is
no rush around the tax collectors office
and there are no indications that there
will be any. There are no voters prospec-
tive. waiting In line with a dollar furnish
ed them by this or that faction for the
purpose of paying their poll tax. There
are no men there with little lists of doz-
ems of voters for whom they wish to pay
taxes. All the signs of a contest or an
exciting election are absent, and the pros
pect is that election day, Oct 5, will be
peaceful and harmonious.
The registration books for the state and
county elections will close Sept. IA. The
law requires that they close within twenty
days of the election, so that the registrars
viii have ample time in which to revise
the lists 1t also requires that for thirty
days preceding the day of closing the Of
flee of the tax collector shall be kept open
for registration purposes until O'Clock in
the afternoon. In accordance with that
provision Tax Collector McGowan's office
has been kept open until o'clock o. m.
since Aug. 49, and the same hours will be
observed until Sept. IA.
The total registration at the closing
hour yesterday was only 3,239, whereas at
TINS time in 1886 it amounted to about 5000
IL IS plainly evident, therefore, that 10
contest is looked for. So far there are
only 5H negroes registered, and nearly all
OF these are property owners, who have
TO pay their poll tax anyhow. At this
time two years ago the registration of ne
groes amounted to about 1000 The num-
Der registered from day to day at the
present time varies from four or five to
twenty; in 1896, at this time, 1t ran up to
100 and $50 a day.
After the close of the registration books
for the October election, the registration
books according to districts, and arranged
alphabetically by Registry Clerk J. G. Sui
livan, VIII be turned over to the registrars
for revision. The registrars are Messrs.
William Pease, representing the Republi-
can party; A. S. Way, representing the
Liberal Club faction, and r. ]. Warrick,
representing the Citizens Club faction.
At least that is the way they stood when
appointed by the judge of the Superior
Court.
With these lists there will be furnished
to the registrars what are known as the
disqualified lists. There are three of these
one being made out by the ordinary con-
tanning the names of persons committed to
the insane asylum, one by the clerk of the
Superior Court containing the names of
convicts, and the other by the tax collec-
tor containing the names of defaultng tax
payers The registration list viii then be
revised in accordance with these disquali-
fed lists.
The registration books, though they will
be closed for the October election on Sept.
II, win not be closed at that time. Voters
desiring TO register for the November cleo
ton will stEl have opportunity to do so.
The books will be open for that election
until within twenty days of Nov. T. From
Sept. is, the Office of the tax collector win
be open until o'clock in the afternoon for
registration for that election. The election
of Nov. Z, will be for congressman and JUS
tees of the state Supreme Court.