The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-06-24
Explanation of the Changes in the
Amendment.

First: The first change made is by
adding to the first section the follow
ing words: CAS- an entire and indi-
visible plan Of suffrage" so that this
section now reads: Section /. That
Chapter 21S, Public Laws of 1899. en-
titled An Act to amend the Constitu-
ton of North Carolina be amended
so as to make said act read as fol-
lows: That Article 6 of the Consti-
tuition of North Carolina be and the
same is hereby abrogated. and in lieu
thereof shall be substituted the fol-
lowing Article of said Constitution,
"AS AN ENTIRE AND INDINISIBLE
PLAN OF SUFFRAGE"
COMMENTS: 1t was believed before
this change was made that the origi-
nal act presented an entire and indi-
visible plan of suffrage, but these
words in small caps above were added
to relieve the doubts of some who
feared that parts of the act might be
separated from other parts, and that
it might not stand or fall rs whole.
Second: The second change
is a consolidation of the
4th and 9Th Sections into
one Section, now numbered Section
a, which reads as follows: Section
4. Every person presenting himself
for registration shall be able to read
and write any Section in the Consti-
tuition in the English language. and
before he shall be entitled to vote he
shall have paid, on or before the first
day Of May of the year in which he
proposes to vote. his pcll tax for the
previous year. rs PRESCRIBED BY
ARTICLE 5 SECTION /, OF THE
CONSTITUTION. BUT no male person
who was. on January I, 1861, or at any
time prior thereto. entitled to vote
under the Laws of any State in the
United States wherein he 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 qualifications
herein prescribed. provided he shall
have registered in accordance with the
terms of this section prior to Deem
Der list. 1905 The General Assembly
shall provide for the registration of
all persons entitled TO vote without
the educational qualifications herein
prescribed, and shall, on or before No
vember 1st. 1908, provide for THE
MAKING Of permanent record OF
such registration. and all persons so
registered SHALL FOREVER there
after have the right to vote in all
elections by the people in this State.
unless disqualified under Section ? of
this Article: Provided, such person
shall have paid his poll tax as ABOVE
required"
COMMENT: ~. The words ita1-
icized do not appear in the original
Amendment but were inserted by the
Legislature at its June session. 90
IT will be observed that the 4th and
9TH Sections of the original Amend
ment have been consolidated into one
Section. Under this Section all who
can read and write are entitled 10
vote, and if they cannot read and
write. but were able to vote on the
first of January, 1867, or at any time
prior thereto, or if they were not
able to vote at that time but are de-
seconded from persons father, grand
father, great-grandfather, etc, who
could vote on the first of January,
1867, or any time prior thereto, they
are entitled to vote, although they
NAV not be able to read and write.
Third: The 9Th Section in the act
Dassed at the June session. 1900, is n
new one and reads as follows: "Sec-
tion s. That this amendment to the
Constitution is presented and adopted
as one indivisible plan for the regula-
ton of the suffrage with the intent
and purpose to so connect the differ
ent parts and to make them so de-
pendent upon each other that the
whole shall stand or fall together"
COMMENTS: IT was not thought to
be necessary to add this Section, but it
was known that some people in the
State had fears upon this question,
and it was thought we'll to have an eX-
press declaration by the Legislature
, of its intent and that it should be in
corporated in the Amendment SO that