The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-05-06
MANY NEW VOTERS.
Registrar Sullivnn's Opinion of the
Repatriation List.


Registrar Jerome Sullivan Is naturally
the best posted man on the subject of reg
istration in Chatham county, and as Mr.
Sullivan is an experienced and oonserva-
tive observer, he is able 10 form a pretty
accurate estimate of the class and charac-
ter of the people who come before him for
registration
1.-THE chief feature of the present regis
tration,' he said yesterday, Outside of
the fact that 1t is the largest registration
we have ever had for a primary. is the
large number of newcomers to the city
whose names appear upon the registra-
ton list. Undoubtedly the other counties
of Georgia, and of South Carolina as well
have done much to increase the populate
of Savannah during the last eighteen
months OF the total registration Of 6, 1884,
1 estimate that about 5000 are regulars"
that is, peop,e who have registered Ia pre-
vious elections. This leaves over 1900
newcomers to the city, most of whom are
from other counties of Georgia. These
are not confined to any one class, there
being professional men and business men
as well as iaboadng men. 1t seems to me
that have accepted affidavits and ceIrih-
Gates during the last two months from
officials of every county in Georgia. The
surrounding counties, bingham, Screven,
Bryan, liberty and Bulloch, have been
large contributors Montgomery county
has been an especially large contributor.
They have come from as far west as Cow
eta, and I am satisfied that every. county
IN South Georgia is represented"
There are quite a number of new citi-
zens on the list" said Mr. Sullivan. land
among these the Greeks are quite con-
spicuous. The Italians have also made
a considerable increase One of the re-
Of "a i-<r |,
ever. is the number OF people who have
come forward and paid their taxes who
have not voted before or have not voted
in years. One man paid $3S back taxes
this week in order to register and two
others paid $50 each yesterday. These
We're all for poll taxes. Many have paid
as high as $24 each and $12 to SIS men
have been quite common Evidently
there Is considerable interest in political
affairs l notice. however, that there are
many well known citizens who are not
registered. There were a number in line
to-day, who, on account, of the crowd,
failed to get their names on the books"
Mr.. Sullivan was asked his opinion as
90 the status of the voters of the list,
whether there were many of doubtful
character who had succeeded in getting
their names on the list.
Il am satisfied that only a compare
lively small number-in fact very small
on the list" he replied. EVERY precau-
ton was exercised 10 see that the appli-
cant complied with the requirements A
list compiled in 1896 of all the taxpayers
in default up to that date was used
against those who presented themselves
and whose record was at all doubtful.
In addition to this, we had the
city directories, and where a mans
name appeared In the rectory for
certain year he was required to pre-
sent his tax receipts for those years or 70
give satisfactory evidence that he had not
resided here and had paid taxes elsewhere.
People coming here since 1895 and whose
names did not appear upon the registra-
ton lists for that and subsequent years,
were required to present their tax rece pts
for those years and also to present cer3if-
Gates from the tax collectors or other Off
Gals of the counties from which they caue
to the effect that they had paid ell taxes
required OF them up to the time of their
removal from the county. In the cases
of men coming from other states we were
helpless except that where they appeared
to have been residents Of Savannah pre-
vious 20 the time when they claimed 10
have removed here they were required "a
give evidence that they had paid taxes in
the states from which they came for those
years. This cut out several In fact. |
turned down on an average OF four to five
each day"
Mr.. Sullivan said that he observed that
the watchers for the two sides took ncte
on the statements Of applicants for regis.
tration and no doubt these statements
were Investigated afterwards. Some Of