The age-herald., 1901-08-03
Captain White Takes Leader- ship in the Absence Of
 Judge Coleman
POLL TAX QUALIFICATION
As Adopted the Section Makes the Poll Tax Voluntary, But Also Pre- requisite to vote-Mr. Rogers
 Makes New Plea.
BY FRANK HARVEY MILLER.

BY FRANK HARVEY MILLER. Montgomery, August 2.-(Special )-The convention continued at work today on the suffrage article It has been at work on 1t for ten days Captain White of Jeffer- son, in the absence of Judge Coleman, acted as pilot and steered the report through the wind and waves of the con- vention. Several sections which were re- committed yesterday were reported back today by the committee, and adopted. Section 12 was reported back unchanged. This provided that an elector must state on oath where he lived for the past five years and the names of his employers. This is aimed at the vagrant negro Sec tion IA requires the Legislature to pass laws to carry the article into effect and to provide for purging the registration list of fraudulen. names.
 There was much discussion over section IS, which embodied the poll tax qualified tion. This as finally adopted made the payment of the tax volutary. but also made it prerequisite to vote. The age for which a voter is liable remains as at present, viz: from H to 45 years.
 MT. Rogers of Sumter advanced an origi- nal idea today by making a plea for the boy who wore shoes. So much has been said during the convention about the bare footed boy that MT. Rogers plea for the boy with the shoe came as welcome re- lief. It was made on the impulse of the moment and was not prompted by the shoe trust.
 Convention Opens.
 The sixty-frst days session of the Com stitutionai Convention was called to order at o'clock by President Knox. A prayer was offered by Rev. MT. Marshall. Roll call showed 1O3 delegates present Gen. eral Sanford of Montgomery arose to cor rect an error in the stenographic report and MT. Sanford of Pike arose to a ques tion of personal privilege to explain his reasons for favoring the grandfather clause and to correct a statement made yesterday by MT Beddow.
 The committee on journal reported it was correct
 The committee on engrossments reported adversely Mr. Howells resolution that clerical assistance to the expressing clerk be paid for at 15 cents per 100 worSs. It was stated by MT. Sanford, the chair man, that the secretary would furnish all necessary assistance.
 Also, adversely a similar resolution by MT. Carmichael of Colbert.
 The convention then recessed until It o'clock to await the report of the com mittee on suffrage who were considering several sections which had been recommit- ted to them yesterday.
 Mir Waddel of Russell at the end of tn.- recess introduced resolution 10 author ize the secretary to contract for the en- 4I.- after It's adoption.
 MT. Graham of .Talladega moved that the consideration of the article educa- tion be made special order after the ar ticle on judiciary. This motion was lost. On motion of MT Howelll the privileges of the floor were extended to State Senatoc Alexander of Calhoun County.
 MT Burns of Dallas arose to correct er- TOTS in the stenographic report.
 The Suffrage Article.
 The convention then took up the pend ing question.
 Captain White of the committee on suf- frage, to which had been recon mitted sections 12. IA and IS of the suffrage arti- cle, reported back section 12 unchanged saying that the amendments providing for purging the registration lists had been added to section IA.
 Section F was then adopted as follows:
 Section F, From and after the 1st day of January, 1908, any applicant for regis tration may be required to state under oath. to be administered by the registrar or by any person authorized by law to administer oaths where he lived during the five years next preceding the time at which he applies to register, and the name or names that he was known by during that period. and the name of his employer or employers if any, during such period. Any applicant for registra- tion who refuses to state such facts, or any of them, shall not be entitled to reg aster, and any person so offering, who wilfully makes false statement in re- gard to such matters. or any of them. shall be guilty of perjury.
 Section IA.
 Section IA, as changed, was then read, as follows: " Section 14. The General Assembly shall pass laws not inconsistent with this con- stitution to regulate and govern elections, and all such laws shall be uniform throughout the State; and shall provide by law for the manner of holding cleo tons and of ascertaining the result of the same. and shall provide general reg istration laws, not inconsistent with the provisions of this article for the regis tration of all qualified electors from and after the 1st day of January, 1903 The General Assembly shall also make pro visions by law not inconsistent with this article. for the regulation of primary elections, and for punishing frauds at the same, but shall not make primary cleo tions compulsory.
 The Legislature shall by law provide for purging the registration list of the names of those who die or become insane or such names as have been fraudulently placed there with provision for the right of trial by jury.
 Mir. Jenkins of Wilcox opposed the sec tion He thought the amendment giv- ing the Legislature the right to remove dead mems names unnecessary, as deaS men did not vote.
 MT. Sanford lof Pike asked if 1t was not the custom for them to vote in the