The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-11-14
THR 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, ard the same is
hereby abrogated and in lieu thereof
shall be substituted the folio wing ar
ticle Of said Constitution:
ARTICLE vi.
SUFFRAGE MI ELIGIBILITY OF OFFICE
QUALIFICATIONS OF AN ELECToR.
(Section i Every male person born
in the United States and every male
person who has been naturaliz9d, 81
years of age and possessing the qualia.
cations set out in this article, shall be
entitled to vote at any election by the
people in the State, except as herein
other wise provided.
(Section 2 He shall have resided in
the State of North Carolina for 2 years,
in the county six months, and in the
precinct, ward or other election 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 sRne county, shall not operate to
deprive any person of the rightto 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 o MESSED 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
Wless the said person shall be first re
stored to citizenship In the manner
prescribed By law.
(5ection 81 Every person Offering to
vote shall be at the time a legally regis
tered voter as herein prescribed and i Il
the manner hereafter provided by law,
and the General Assembly Of North
Caroline shall enact general registra-
ton la VS. to carry into effect the pro
visions of this article.
(5ection Every person presenting
himself for registration shall be able
to read and write any section OF the
Constitution in the English language,
and before he shall be entitled to vote
he shall have paid on or before the
first day of March of the year in which
he proposes to vote his poll tax as pre-
scribed by law for the previous year.
Poll taxes shall be a lien only On al
sessed property, and 40 process shall
issue to enforce She collection Of the
same except against assessed property.
(Section 5 } No male person, who was
on January l, 1867, or at any time
prior thereto, entitled to vote under the
laws of any State 10 the United States
wherein ne then resided, and no lIneal
descendant of any such person, shall
be denied the right to register and vote
at any election in this State by reason
Of his failure to possess the educational
qualification prescribed in section 4 OF
this Article: Provided, He SHALL have
registered in accordance with the terms
Of this Section prior to December l,
1908. The General Assembly shall
provide for a permanent 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 in all elections by the
people 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."
(Ssction 6 } All elections by the people
shall be by ballot. and all elections by
the General Assembly shall be viva
voce.
Section7 Every voter in North Caro-
lima, except as in this Article disquali
fed, shall be eligible TO Office, but be
fore entering upon the duties OF the
Office he shall take and subscribe the
following oath; Il, ---, do sol
EMMY swear ()r afirm) that will sup
port and maintain the Constitution and
laws Of the United States and the Con-
stitut ion and laws of North Carolina,
not inconsistent Herewith, and that I