The Atlanta constitution., 1900-03-26
REGISTRATION IN
1900 ESSENTIAL
| Committee Will Not Meet To
Reconsider Its Action.
LISTS ARE ALL GROWING
Chairman duBIgn0n Says He VIII Not
ReConvene Committee,
| HIS TELEGRAM TO CONSTITUTION
Decision of Committee on Registra-
ton Was Reached After Consid-
Grafton of the Law and
Discussion of Sew
eral Hours.
HIS TELEGRAM TO CONSTITUTION

The state democratic executive commit
tee will not be reconvened for the purpose
Of considering again the question of reg
istration in the state primary set for May
18th.
The committee at its meeting in Allan
Ia a few days ago decided that the
qualification of electors in the coming
primary should be first. registration for
1900. The members took the position when
the subject was under discussion that the
application of this rule would entail no
hardship uron the citizens of the state,
since it does not require the payment oil
taxes for 1900. ana contemplates only the
registration of those who have paid their
taxes for 1892 giving every citizen me
right to vote for state and county ofhcers'
who is rot tax defaulter
In view of the cards of inquiry as 10
the application of the registration piah'
which have been received from dlftereh1
parts of the state The Constitution Wlreu
Chairman +. G. duBignCn, of the state
committee. at his home il Savannah. Tor
an expression of his intention. The re
D
Sunday night, is as follows:
Savannah, Ca, March 25.-Edltor
Constitution, Atlanta, Ga: Commit
tee considered thoroughly registra-
ton matters before acting. l shall
not reconvene committee unless so
requested by majority of members.
f. G. duBIGNoN.
Tho reply of Chairman duBisnon is re-
gardcd as final, for the reason that the
committee gave more consideration To the
subject of leeistration than to any other
that came before the body. The session
was continued in this city. from noon
when the members settled Gown TO busi-
ness until after niehtfau. principally in
/ order to give the matter of registration
the fullest discussion and every member
who desired it am opportunity to express
his opinion. Those in a po sition To KNOW
are of the opinion that the committee al
ter fully considering registration Tor the
primary, with the registration law ot the
state before il including the aWendmeht
Of 1851 would not request 10 be recon
Iened. unless there was some ground Tor
the belief that its decision had been con-
trary to law or party policy. me reply VI
Chairman duBignon is the reply anticlpa-
ted bv those interested in the matter oe-
cause il is customary for the committee
Ia be reconvt ned only after a majority oI
the members have 50 requested ana pc
cause the chairman recognized that the
| committee gave to the subject oI fes'S'id
ton its fullest attention.
Registration Will Be Large.
The registration lists for 800 in many of
tb, counties of the state Indicate at this
early date that the full democratic vote
will be polieG at the May primary. Tn
registration in Fulton county 10 date has
gone beyond the 6J00 mark. an unusual
registration for this time of year. ana IN
oicates. according TO county officials, thdt
The list will be one of the longest. II not
the longest, in the history of the county.
From other sections of the state, and
NOT alone from counties whose population
is mainly sSed in cities, the report
comes that the registration lists are coh-
stantly growing, while the county officers
there are locking for an unusually heavy
vote.
The dissent To- the action Of the state
committee has been limited and based III
many instances upon misconception OF
have uniformaly sought To make clear
their action in order that all democrats
NAV be registered by May 9TH.
Considerable attention was given By the
committee at its recent session To those
counties i'm which the farmers will be at
their busiest season near the date of the
primary, and consequently would not find
time to stop Il plow and come To town To
register The committee took its action
~ hat 1 no
provisions of the law We're ample to over
come such a difficulty. When necessary,
the tax collectors of the state are author
lied to sacure as many assistants us posSl-
bic and provide them with separate lists
I'm order that every section of a county
may be coveled.
Under such an arrangement registration
will not he considered a hardship. and
every democrat can siSn his name to the
list who has paid his taxes for 1899. Taxes
for 1909 will not be due until after the
time for registration. and consequently it
will be essential to pay the tax in order
to register.
County Committees Acted.
II is the general opinion aside rom the
reasons that induced the committee to
take the action it did. that it would be un-
fair to those counties whose committees
have already met and acted to compel
them to meet again and change their ac-
tion. Twenty-Five county committees have
met since the adjournment of the state
committee and ratified its action regard
ing registration. For the committee TO
meet again and change the plan of regis
tration would be TO require every county
committee that has acted to reconvene
end adopt other plans for the primary.
The telegram from Chairman duBignon
is regarded in political circles as final. so
far as the action of the committee is con-
cerned Registration under the rule adopt
ed by the committee is going forward in
every part of the state. and a number of
prominent officials have recently express
ed the opinion that the registration of