The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-07-18
THE PROPOSED CONSTITU-
TIONAL AMENDMENT,

Believing that no more important
measure has been before the people of
North Carolina for a score Of years, we
give in full herewith the proposed Con
stitutional amendment, which we ex
pect to keep standing until the election
in August of next year. It is not nee
essary for us to say that it should be
carefully considered and that the voter
should not allow prejudice to influence
him in deciding whether or not he will
support it. The amendment reads as
follows:
That article VI of the Constitution
of North Carolina be, and the same is
hereby repealed, and in lieu thereof
shall be substituted the following ar
/ ticle of said Constitution:
ARTICLE vi.
Section 1 Every male person born
in the United States and every male
person who has been naturaliz9d, 81
years of age and possessing the qualif
cations set out in this article, shall be
entitled to vote at any election by the
people in the State, except as herein
otherwise provided.
Section 2. He shall have resided in
the State of North Carolina for two
years, in the county six months, and in
the precinct, ward or other district in
which he Offers to vote, four months
next preceding the election: Provided,
That removal from one precinct, ward
or other election district, to another in
the same county, shall not operate to
deprive any person Of the right to vote
in the precinct, ward or other election
district, from which he has removed
until four months after such removal.
No person who has been convicted or
who has confessed his guilt in open
court upon Indictment, of any crime,
the punishment of which now is or
may hereafter be, imprisonment in the
State prison, shall be permitted to vote
unless the said person shall be first re.
stored to citizenship in the manner
prescribed by law.
Section 3. Every person Offering to
vote shall be at the time a legally regis
tered voter as herein prescribed and in
the manner hereafter provided by law,
AID the General Assembly of North
Carolina shall enact general registra-
ton laws to carry into effect the pro
visions of this article.
Section 4. Any person presenting
himself for registration or voting shall
be able to read and write any part of
the Constitution in the English Ian
gusge, aud shall have paid by the first
day of March the poll tax for the pre-
vious calendar year, as prescribed by
law, and shall exhibit the receipt there
for when he offers to VOTE. Poll taxes
shall be a lien only on assessed prop
erty, and no process shall issue to en-
force the collecti IN OF the same except
against assessed property.
Sectiou 5. No male person, who was
on January 1, 1857, or at any time
prior thereto, entitled to vote under the
of any State 10 the United States
wherein he then resided, and no lIneal
descendant Of any such person, shalI
be denied the right to register and vote
at any election in this State by reason
his failure to possess the educational
qualification prescribed IN section 4 of
this Article: Provided, H9 shall have
registered in accordance with the terms
OF this Article prior to December l.
1908. The General Assembly shall
provide for a permanet record of all
persons who register under this sec,
ton on or before November 1, 1908, and
all such persons shall be entitled to
register and vote at all elections by the
in this State unless disqualified
under section 2 of this article: Pro
vided such persons shall have paid
their poll tax as required by law"
Section 6. AL elections by the people
shall be by ballot, and all elections by
the General Assembly shall be viva
voce.
Section Every voter iu North Caro-
lima, except as in this Article disquali
fed, shall be eligible to ofioe, but be
fore entering upon the duties of the
office he shall take and subscribe the
following oath; II, ----, do sol
swear or affirm, that I will sup
port and msiutsin the Constitution and
laws Of the I uited States and the Con
ion and laws Of North Carolina,
not inconsistent ther ewith, and that /
will faithfully discharge the duties OF
ny office as ----. So help me
I'd"