The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-04-17

section in this Constitution submit
ted to him by the registration officer,
or understand and explain it when
read to them by the registration
officer, shall be entitled to register
and become electors.
A separate record of all persons
registered before january 1st, 1898,
sworn to by the registration officer,
shall be filed, one copy sent the Clerk
of Court and one in the office Of the
Secretary of State on or before Feb
ruarv 1st, 1898, and such persons
shall remain during life qualified
electors unless disqualified by the
other provisions of this article. The
certificate of the Clerk of Court or
Secretary of State shall be sufficient
evidence to establish the right of
said citizens to any subsequent regis
tration and the franchise under the
limitations herein imposed.
ID Any person who shall apply for
registration after january list, 1898,
if otherwise qualified shall be regis
tered. Provided: That he can both
read and write any section of this
Constitution submitted to him by
the registration officer or can show
that he owns and has paid all taxes
cOllectible during the previous year
on property in this State assessed at
three hundred dollars $4,000 or o
(e) Managers of elections shall re
Quire Of every elector Offering to vote
at any election, before allowing him
to vote, proof of the payment of all
taxes, including poll tax, assessed
against him and ~cOllectible during
the previous year.
The production of a certificate or
of the receipt of the officer author
lied to collect such taxes shall be
conclusive proof of the payment
thereof.
() The General Assembly shall
provide for issuing to each duly
registered electOr a certificate of
registration, and shall provide for
the renewal Of such certificate when
lost, mutilated or destroyed, if the
applicant is still a qualified electOr,
under the provisions of this COnsti-
tuition, or if he has been registered as
provided in subsection Co.,"
It was easy for the party in power
to prevent the registration of unde-
sired vOters-fOr example, illiterate
negr0es-and thus permanently pre-
vent them from voting. This was
the intent and effect of the measure.
Before my recent careful investi-
cations into the. actual workings of
the law, [ had always been d~istrust-
ful of it and feared it might limit the
rights and influence of the plain
common people for whose rights I
am ever iealeOuS. That such has not
been its effect is plainly shown by
the fact that the plain, common peO-
pie who reyOlUtionized the govern
ment in this State a few years ago.
and cot full control Of it, still
retain this power.
Ihave spoken with quite a number
Of persons, of men of different pro-
LESSONS, of different occupations and
various positions in society, and have
found not a single one who did not
speak Of it with full approval and
commentator.
1t is very singular the good effect
it has had upon the negroes. They
have had their eyes opened to the
fact that casting ballots into boxes
was not going to secure for them
either the financial or social advance
ment which they expected, and as a
reSdlt the masses of them have lost
all interest in politics, and many of
them who can read and write and
can therefore vote if they choose do
not exercise their right. Their whole
demeanor is changed. They are far
more Industrious and cOntented than
they were during their days of po-
litical power.
lived here during that horrible
nightmare of Reconstruction, and
can wildly recall the anxiety as to
life and property, that hung like a
pail over the whole people, and can