The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-12-15
TWO GRAVE POLITICAL INN0VA'
TIONS FOR 1901.
ration Rouge Advocate.


her election methods.
No question presented more DUH
culties in its solution or a wider
diversity of opinion before the late
Constitutional Convention than the
matter of the payment of the poll tax
as prerequisite to registering and
voting.
A compromise article was finally
engrafted into our organtic instru-
ment as Article 1913. This article
provides for the payment of a poll
tax of 81 90 before the first day of
January of each year, by all male
persons between the ages of 81 and
60 years, and makes a poll tax re-
ceipt for the period of two years be-
fore an election prerequisite to the
right to vote. The compromise is
found in the last clauses of the article
which provide that it shall not go in
to effect for the election in 1900, and
that it may be changed, repealed or
modified by the legislature of 1908.
This is serious change in our
system and from present indications
will work almost revolution in the
| election two years hence, as 1t seems
certain that the total vote of The
State will be UNNECESSARILY reduced.
The last General Assembly inaug-
urated another vital change in our
system also to 90 into effect in 1901,
| by legaliziug primary elections and
hedging them about with the greatest
safeguards and all possible sanctity.
Act 1873 of 1900, in providing for
primary elections, in its first section
says:
ANY committee or body, author
lied by the rules or customs OF a
political party in this State (having
the right under the election law to
make nominations by conventions to
call primary elections of or for such
political party, in calling such cleo
ton shall, at the time of making such
call, adopt a resolution which shall
set forth:
"First--That primary election
will be held, giving the time when,
and the place or places where such
elections will be held and the hours
between which the polls shall be kept
open.
"Second-The number of persons
who shall preside at each polling
booth and The manner of choosing
persons to constitute the election
officers of each polling place.
''Third-The object for which the
election is called.
"Fourth-The qualifications re-
CURED for voting, in addition to
those prescribed by the election law
and the Constitution of this State. F"
The succeeding articles provide, in
detail for penalties for violating the
:. provisions prescrihedMn such cleo
tons, applying rules and punishments
much the same as in regular elections.
The object of the law is clearly set
forth to be not only to legalize and
safeguard such elections, but to pro-
tect them from the interference OF
par:izans of another political faith,
and to force those who submit to
such arbitrament to stand to and
abide by the result.
The real pith of the act is found in
Sections 10 and 16, as follows:
Sec. 10. Be it further enacted,
etc., That no one who participates
in the primary election of any politi-
cal party shall have the right to par
ticipate in any primary election OF
any other political party, with a view
to nominating opposing candidates ;
nor shall he be permitted to sign any
nomination papers for any opposing
candidate or candidates; nor shall be
be permitted to be himself candi-
date in opposition to any one nomi-
mated at or through a primary cleo
ton in which he took part, nor with
in four years thereafter shall he be
capable of holding an appointve
office as the appointee of any officer
not belonging to the political party
in whose primary election he first
took part.
'.'Sec. 16. Be it further enacted,
etc., That the State Central Com
mittee and the various District and
Parish committees calling primary
elections, shall have power to adopt
such rules and regulations for the
conduct and government thereof as
they may deem fit; provided same be
not inconsistent with the provisions
of this act, and for the purpose OF
such primary elections, such rules
and regulations shall have the force
and effect of law in so far as the par
ties participating or attempting to
participate in such primary elections
are concerned; provided, further,
that all rules and regulations made
or adopted by any subordinate CON-
mittee. shall be subject to revision
or modification by the executive CON-
mittee of the State Central Commit
tee on appeal by any person or per-
sons in interest.
We believe this act to be a wise
step in our election affairs. Prim-
airy elections will become popular and
conclusive in future, for they will be
a real test of the strength of a candi-
date before party tribunal, and the
mandates of the party, thus express
ed will be enforced.
TOWN COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS