The age-herald., 1901-07-22

Vlded that registration should be made every two years But the plan was found to be unnecessary and objectiona- ble. Registration prior to that time in the State had been for life, except of course as re-registration was necessary when the voter changed his residence. After operating under the two year reg istration plan for a short while, the Leg isature abolished 1t, and went back to the life system of registration. This was done in the year 1S97 An exception was made as to towns having over 5000 popu- lation, but this exception was solely to protect communities against the dangers of iuctuating population. and the un- certainty with reference to the voters status. In the ordinance reported by the committee, all protection along that line that is necessary is afforded by requiring the voter to produce his old registration certificate, or, should he lose the same, requiring him to get new one. There never was a good reason why a man should be required to register every two years.
 The fifth objection stated by the Age Herald is as follows:
 Aic ldWiul OCCupdIlOn ClduSe, ana the naming of employers in the five years preceding"
 The lawful occupation clause is intend- ed against tramps and dead-beats, and is limited to twelve months next preceding the offer to register. I do not see any valid objection to that. The provision of the ordinance requiring the voter to name his employers for the five years preceding would have the effect to afford some check upon criminals who have been convicted of crimes which disqual- fly them from voting, and who change their residences and often their names. There are thousands of men now on the registration lists in Alabama who have been convicted of offenses which disqual- fly them from voting but who register and vote regularly because under the law as it now exists there is no ade- quate method of checking them up. Whether the requirements of the ordi- nance will be sufficient to check up all these voters may be a question. but 1t will certainly assist; and if man has been in any respectable business. he will have no objection to stating what his oc- cupation was.
 The whole trouble seems to me to be that some of us are seeking ideal relief from condition of affairs that Is wholly unideai What we all wont Is the best settlement of this question that we can get No wise person expects perfection in this line. Under the Age-Herald's idea of poll tax, all white illiterates who pay the same would be allowed to vote, and this is all that could happen, under the ordinance reported by the committee, if every white man not otherwise entitled was permitted to register under the good character clause.
 The difference then Is this: Under the committees plan, white boys and black are fairly warned that they must qualify themselves, either by acquiring an edu- cation or by sufficient amount of prop erty, before they will be allowed to exer- else the privilege of the ballot, and no negro can vote unless he can read or write, or pay his tax on certain amount of property.
 Under the Age-Herald's plan neither of the latter conditions would obtain. fall to see what possible objection there can be to the committees plan for settling this matter. Surely, unrestricted negro suffrage cannot be defended in this day and generation, and surely there could be no wiser or more liberal restriction upon their right of suffrage than the al- ternative property and educational quali- fications.
 No movement has ever been instituted in the south which was aimed at white suffrage. I do not think that any one can successfully contend for and main- tain the doctrine of equality between the races as affecting the suffrage clause. There never has been race of negroes capable of self-government, and in my judgment there never will be. To allow the educated or tax-paying members of the race the privilege to vote is at least all they are entitled to. They have abused the ballot from the time 1t was first conferred upon them without ceas- ing, until the present, and they will con- tinue to abuse it, in my judgment. while time shall last The idea of putting 0 white man upon the same basis as negro is an attack upon the wisdom of the Gre ator, who endowed for His own purposes one race with the strength and wisdom which he denied to the other. The argu- ment for treating both races exactly alike is an attack upon Gods own plan.
 SYDNEY J. BOWIE.