Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1901-02-14


law of Mississippi disfranchising the
negro They come from students Of
constitutional law. from college 80
eieties in every State in the L Cnion. from
Legislators who have heard Of 'the
Mississippi plan of suffrage. and who
want to improve their own Although
the prescott eso>titu.ioe of NisSi<sippt
vas adopted in 1900. its provisions are
but little known and less understood
outside this state: and henc- every iu-
quiry received Is doubtless inspired by
. sincere desire TO get correct iutorma-
tion on the subject. To inpart ii 10 the
only obje Of this statement.
Here are the franchise sections OF the
constitution of 1900
Sec. al Every male inhshitant Of this
State. except idiots. insane persons. and
Indians not taxed vho 10 . citixsa OF the
United statssl r~enry-one years old and
upwards. Who ha. resid-i in this state two
years. and one year in the elsction district.
or in the Incorporated city or town In
which he oFsrs TO vote. and who Is duly
registered provided in this article. and
Who has never been convicted Of bribery.
burglary. theft. srson. obtaining money or
goods under false prstense-. perjury, for
gerry. embezxIemeut or bigamy. aad vho
ha. paid on or before the 6rst day Of Feb
ruary Of the year in which he shall offer to
vote. all taxes which may have been legally
r--guir-i os him. and. which be hss kad an
opportunity Of paying according to Law,
for the t~o pr~e-iinx years. and who shall
produce to the oificsrs holding the election
satisfactory evidence that b. has paid said
taxes, Is declared 10 b . qualified elec,or /;
but any minister Of the gospel in charge Of
an orxsnixsd church shall b entitled to
vote after siK months residence in the sisc-
ton district. II otherwise qualified
Section -. relates to registration Of
voters.
Sec 2<1 A uniform poll tax Of two dol
Lars. to be used in aid Of the common
srhools, and for no other purpo-e. Is hereby
imposed on every male inhsbitant Of this
State between the ages Of twenty Que and
saxry years, except persons vAo are deaf
and dumb or blind. or who are manned by
loss Of hand or foot: said tax tn he lea
only upon taxabis property. The board OF
supervisors Of any county may. for tho
puru.-, Of aiding IN. eummoa schools in
that county,. incrsass the poll tar in aid
county. but in no ea.s shall the snrirs poll
tax exceed in any ors year three dollars
on each poll We criminal procssdings shall
- alls-sd to enforce the collsctioa Of the
poll tax
~ On ma - Nv MS "
.A... - = - 80. -
- - -. - - :, "a. ,.,,-,,.
TO-, a ri. s,.,.- ar \. .h,lI b. Ali. % uu-
s.r,.,ns IN. ,.m. -bcu r,.a TO aim. or
xiv, a reasonable, INTERPRETATION thereof
A new rsxi,sration shall bs made before
the next ensuing election after January the
trst, A. D, ls1a
IL viii be observed that the fore
going does not disfranchise the negro
any more than It does the white maa-
II simply means that the citizen-black
or vhite-who will not pay all taxes.
Including the uniform poll tax Of two
dollars. TO be used in aid of the com
mon school ou or before the arst day
Of February in which he offers to vote.
and who Is not intelligent enough to
read any section of the State constltu-
ton. or TO understand the same when
read to him. or give \ reasonable inter
pretatiou thereof. shall not be allowed
TO vote. In other words. he voluntarily Y
dixfrzuehiSeS himself for the period
,.r.s I,,h. .,S. of IN. paI ,ax i,
-;u -, e., 49,, .-;,,;,.I ,-,,-
tne oennqaen1 eannoe '"ee Anu 'ne
registration stAilseies OF 'he several
counties show that there are thousands
of whites rs well As blacks who thus
disquAlify themselves And the fact
that the poll TAI Is \ school fund. and
that IL cannot be otherwise Applied.
makes this d~linouenev ALI the more 70
..,
.r lii :, ism ua-.
-. -
-'''''' "H,s" ~,
made senooi Iuno OF $50 "
this. the total eottee'ed WAS t-"4'''-''- ~
showing that there was unP<a s-SS'ti
the delinquemts being mostly ne
groe~
CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS
s~r an n. shah b. the duty of the lexis-
l.sur, 20 encourage. by al suitable means,
the prvuceion OF intellectual. scientific,
u,o~.I ..a AGRICULTURAL improvement, BY
e~s.b,i.hine . Uniform system Of free pub
he srhs,lx bv ,axnriou or otherwise. for
Al children between the ages Of i've and
I - - .<s,r - nr.~si.