St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1900-07-07
The Poll Tax and Elec-
lions.

On Saturday last Air. Justice
Blanchard, Of the Supreme Court Of
Louisiana, rendered . very imp0r-
tant decision on the constitutional
making the payment Of
= poll tax a prerequisite for the ex-
ercise of the right of suffrage. The
law, which is contained in article
1913 Of the Constitution Of 1898,
provides as follows:
No person less than GO years Of
age shall be permitted to vote at
any election in the State who shall
not, in addition to the qualifications
above prescribed, have paid, on or
before the 3lst day OF December Of
each year for the two years preced-
ing the year in which he offers 10
vote, . poll tax Of one dollar per
annun, to be used exclusively in
aid Of the public schools Of the
parish in which such tax shall be
collected which tax is hereby i'm.
posed on every male resident Of
this State between the ages OF II
and GO years. Poll taxes shall be .
lien only en- assessed property, and
no process shall issue to enforce
the collection OF the same except
against assessed property.
The question came up as the re-
suit OF On election for mayor of tine
town OF Clinton, East Feliciana
Parish. There were two contestants
before the voters for the Office.
One candidate receiving q majority
Of the votes was refused possession
OF the mayoralty by the other can
didste, who was the incumbent at
the time OF the election, on the
ground that the constitutional re-
quirement 10 regard to the payment
OF the poll tax had not been COM
piled with.
Justice Blanchard. after recitlng
the details Of the case and analyzing
the cons titutionall mandate, held
that the poll tax required in the
premises was levied by :he Consti-
tuition of 1898, but it did not be-
come . factor in elections until after
the State elections in April, 1900.
Since, then, the tax must have
been paid for two year previous to
the election in which the tax re.
ceipts are required to be shown,
and, therefore. the requirement
does not come into force until aftel
the 3lss Of December, 1902. Saio
the Court:
This article 1893, then, went intt
operation only on the day followins
the general State election OF thu
present year, 1900.
This being so, It follows that th'
first poll tax it imposes. tina pre-
payment of which is prescribed As
prerequisite to voting at an election
is that for the year 1900.
| In order, then, to vote ut any cleo
ton held after December 81, 1901
the poll tax receipts for 1900 ant
1901, paid on or before Qecembe
81. respectively, Of these years
must be exhibited.
It follows, therefore, that the pro
lduction Of the tax receipts tor tn
payment of poll taxes as prerequi
site to the exercise OF the legs
right to vote, cannot be demands
until 1902.
At any election held after the be
, | ginning Of the 3ear 1909, and dun
ing that year, the voter can an
must produce his poll tax receipt
for 1900 and 1901. showing the pay
: ment OF the constitutional poll t.
\ on or before the 3lst Of Decembe
!, of the years. respectively, becaua
: the tax will then have been levie
y for two years preceding the election
e But he cannot now produce sue
0 receipts, for the reason that no lev
. OF this constitutional poll tax hs
yet matnred.
It is this purely contitutlonal pc
tax levied by the Constitution ltsel
;. which must be paid as prerequisi,
!. to voting, and not the poll> tax
!. 1898 and 1899, levied by legislatio
enacted under the Constitution I
: 1879.
Of The poll tax Of those years
}. held not to be the poll tax wi,
O which article 1913 OF the Constitute
!, of 1898 deals.
This decision, which seems eI
!. tirely lucid, plain and in a0c0rdant
with The mandate Of the C0nstitl
ton, is Of extreme importance. an
:. it now gives notice that, in order
= be able to vote in any election
:. 1902 and afterwards, the poll t.
must be paid; but until then !
:. such requirement can be exacte'
!, -Plcayune,
Emperor's Remarkabl
Speech.
A Berlin, July 3.-Addre.sing u