The Washington times., 1901-07-23
THE VIRGINIA CONVENTION
Another Suffrage Clause for the
Constitution Proposed.

| offered by Delegate BouIdin. II En-
braces Features of the South Caro-
lima and Mississippi PIans-Pol
Tax and Property Qualifications.
RICHMOND, Va. July 22.-Iliness and
heat kept many members from the Con-
stitutional Convention today. Delegate
Stebbins. who has been i'll, was in his
seat for short while. The convention
was opened with prayer by the Rev. DIR.
Richard AIcIlwaino, after which several
resolutions were introduced and referred.
Delegate Bouldin presented a lengthy
document in the shape of a suffrage
clause.
1t embraces features of both the South
Carolina and Mississippi plans. y poll
tax qualification of s. is provided for The
ordinance further provided that there
shall be a new registration and that all
persons who shall have paid the poll tax.
or who can read the constitution or un-
derstand il when read to them. and all
persons of good charac cter shall be entitled
to register prior to January /, 1891, and
shall be made sufTragans for life. The
Legislature shall make provision for reg
istrations after January /. 1893, and then
there shall be a property-holding qualin-
cation.
A lengthy ordinance was presented by
Judge Brooks, providing for the orSaniza-
tion and government of cities and towns.
The following resolution was offered by
Mr.. George X. Anderson:
Section !. Every sane male citizen OF
the age of twenty-one years and upward,
who shall have resided in this State two
years and in the co Iuty or city in which
he offers to vote six months preceding the
election at which he offers to vote, who
can read. write and understand any arti-
Gle of the constitution. and who shall
have paid TO the State at least six months
rrior to such election the poll tax levied
by this constitution for the two preceding
years shall be entitled to vote for mem
bers of the General Assembly and all Of
ficcrs elected by the people; provided,
however, that those electors having any
cne or more of the following quaiifica-
tions shall not be required as pre-
requisite TO voting, to be able to read,
write, and understand any article OF the
constitution-that is to say GirsD. wfis-
or whose wife infant children, father or
mother shall have been assessed with
property for the preceding year valued
for taxation at not less than $500; or,
''Second-Who or whose wife, infant chill
dren, father, or mother is engaged m or
owns an interest in a manufacturing or
mercantile enterprise in which the annual
volume of business amounts to at least
s2,0Gl; or
'.Third-Whose gross income from all
sources, including salary or wages for the
preceding year shall have amounted to at
least 5000; or
''Fourth-Who has served as a juror at
any time within the preceding two years
''Fifth-who is a member of regular or
volunteer fire company in any city or
town or
'.Sixth-Who has been a soldier in time
of war in the Army of the United States,
or of the Confederate States or OF any
State of the United States.
Section ? The circuit court for each
county and corporation shall once in each
year, at regular or special term, and at
least three months prior to every cleo
ton examine in open court any persons
presenting themselves as candidates for
electors in that county or city, and said
court may require the commissioners
thereof to assist in the work.
Every elector so applying and proving
to the satisfaction of the court that he
has the qualifications of an elector as
provided in section l, or who falls within
any one of the classes herein exempted
from the educational qualification pre-
scribed in said section /. shall receive
from the court Il certificate emitting him
to register, and said certificate shall be
filed with the registrar. and such voters
name enrolled on the registration books,
and he shall ever thereafter have the
right to vote. If such voter shall change
his domicile to any other county, city, or
voting precinct, the registrar shall de-
liver TO him his certificate and his name
shall be erased from the registration
books of that precinct.
Examinations as to the educational
qualifications shall be in writing and un-'
der such regulations as may be provided
by law, and the papers shall remain on
file amongst the records of said court.
Section 3. Any applicant otherwise quail
ified, who VIII nave become twenty-one
years OF age on or before the next suc-
ceeding election, may apply to said court
for certificate at the time fixed for the
and If found to be qualified shall receive
the certificate provided for in section .
Section !. If a voter duly registered
moves his domicile within six months of
the next succeeding election he may
nevertheless, vote at such election in the
county or city of his former domicile
provided he remains registered there until
such election.
''sjection s. The following persons shall
be excluded from voting: ~ All persons
not coming within any OF the foregoing
Classes. - Idiots, lunatics and persons
who shall by law be excluded on account
of crime or other violation of the laws"
The session lasted a little more than
haif an hour Just before adjournment
Senator Daniel invited all persons having
suffrage resolutions before his committee
o nTyDesir before that body tonight