The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1901-08-04
OFFICIAL REPORT or THE PROCEEDINGS OF
THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION OF ALABAMA


otherwise qualified may vote without
having made the school contribution.
] Sec. 2. All elections by the people
saaIi be By nanot, and all elections by
persons in a representative capacity
shall be viva voce.
Sec. 8. The following persons shall
be disqualified both from registration
and from voting, namely:
All idiots and insane persons; those
who shall by reason of conviction of
crime be disqualified from voting at
the time Of the ratification of this
Constitutions. and those who shall be
convicted of treason, murder, arson,
embezzlement, malfeasance in ofice,
larceny, receiving stolen property, OBJ
tanning property or money ilnder false
pretense. perjury, suborEation Of per-
jury. robbery assault and battery on
the wife. bigamy. livingr-in adultery.
sodomy, incest, rape, miscegenation,
| crime against nature, or any crime
punishable by Imprisonment in the
| penitentiary or OF any Infamous crime
or crimes INVOLVING moral turpitude;
also any person who shah be convicted
as vagrant or tramp. or of selling
or offering to sell his vote or the vote
| of another. or buying, or offering to
buy, the vote of another in any cleo
ton by the people. or In any primary
| election or to procure the nomination
or election of any person to, any Office
| or OF suborning any witness or regis
trar to secure the registration of any
| person as an elector.
Sec. L. No person shall be qualified
to vote or participate in any primary
! election, party convention, mass meet
ing or other method of party action of
any political party or faction. who
shall not possess the qualifications
prescribed in this Article for an elect
or or who shall be disqualified under
| the provisions Of this Article from yot-
| ing.
| Sec. 5. No person not registered and
| qualified as an eleetor under the pro-
visions of this Article shall vote at any
State. county or municipal election,
| general local or special, held subse-
quent to the general election in 1902:
| but the provisions of this Article shall
| not apply to any election held prior to
the general election in 1902, and all
electors who shall comply with the pro-
visions hereof in the year 1909 shall be
entitled to vote in said elections.
Sec. 6. Any elector whose right to
vote shall be challenged for any legal
cause before an election officer shall be
required to swear or affirm that the
matter of the challenge Is untrue be-
fore his vote shall be received, and any
one who wilfully swears, or afflrms
falsely thereto shall be guilty OF per-
jury.
Sec. Z. In the trial of any contested
election. and in proceedings to investi-
gate any election. no person other than
defendant shall be allowed to with
hold his testimony on the ground that
he may incriminate himself. or subject
himself to public infamy: but such per-
son shall not be prosecuted for any Of
Tense arising out of the transaction
concerning which he testifes. but may
be prosecuted for perjury committed on
such examination
Sec. 8. The General Assembly shall
pass laws not inconsistent with this
Constitution, 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 elections and of ascertaining
the result of the same and shall pro-
vide general registration laws, not in
consistent with the provisions Of this
Article. for the registration of all quail
fled electors from and after the first
day of January, 1903. The General AS
sembly shall also make provisions by
law, not inconsistent with this Article
for the regulation of primary elections,
and for furnishing frauds at the same.
but shall not make primary elections
compulsory.
Sec. 9. It shall be the duty of the
General Assembly to pass ADEQUATE
laws giving protection against the evils
arising from the use OF lntoxica ting
liquors at all elections.
except treason. felony or breach of the
peace, be privileged from arrest during
their abundance at elections. or while
going to or returning therefrom.
SEQ IL. Returns of elections for all
ciVih Safficers who are to be commits
stoned by the Governor. except Score
tary of State, Auditor Treasurer, Com
missioner of Agriculture and Indus
tries. Attorney General and Superin-
tenaent of Education. and for members
OF the General Assembly. shall be made
to to the Secretary of State.
Referred to Committee on Suffrage
and Elections.
The President-The question will be
upon the adoption of the substitute Of
fered by the gentleman from Jeffer-
son to the report offered by the COM
mittee.
Mr.. Lowe-I believe that the Conven-
ton is now ready to vote upon this
question. 1 believe that all that could
be said to advantage upon one side
or the other has been said. 1t is not
my purpose or desire to detain the
Convention longer The proposition In
the substitute as offered. by me. elimi-
mates the registration clause, the |
grandfather clausa.@Ahe property quail |
hcation. and the educational Qualifica-
ton. and leaves merely the voluntary
contribution. TO the public school sys- |
tenn of Alabama. to be DISCHARGED |
within the first three months of each |
year. intervening between general
elections.sa Mr.. President, although It |
is matter of disappointment to me, |
10 b in opposition to the majority OF |
the committee. feel sustained in tonne |
measure by knowledge of the factithat |
many. IL not most, of those who have !
had actual experience in past years in |
political affairs in Alabama are in ac~ |
cord with the proposition which 1 have
submitted. l hopA even now, even be- |
fore the fever OF debate is past, that |
the majority of the committee are |
right, because l believe that the report |
of the committee is going to be |
adopted. l hope that in time l may |
be able to see the wisdom embodied in |
the report of the majority of the COM |
mittee. At this time Mr.. President. it |
seems to me Ii is worse than folly; but |
shall not consume the time of this |
Convention longer because nv views |