The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-10-19

Of the New Constitution Explained in Brief.


on the 2nd inst; teIegraphsd Hon; Sydney
 Campaign Committee of this county, as
 COLUMBIA. 8. C.. Oct. ?. 1901
 "Sydney J. Bowie:
 'Very few negroes registered in this
 State. All of tile whites are registered.
 No complaint againts our & elections |.
 (Signe6 M. B. McSWEENEY.
 Like causes produce like effects, and
 no white man now entitled to vote, ana
 no white child In the future has any
 cause for apprehension with reference to his vote.
 charge that boys coming on in the fu, ture must be able to read and write ana cwr three hundred dollars worth or that this is not true. If he is able to cad and write or if he pays taxes on
 this amount of property, he can vote. 1t is only necessary to have one Of these qualifications.
 It is charged that registrars have a
 discretion as to who they will register
 This is not true. They must register ev-
 cry man possessing either of the quail fications named. Every State in the Union including this State. has sys-
 tenn of registration. The registrar has no more power under the new Constitu- ton than under the present law, and we tied to registration under the present law, being denied it. Indeed, the right of the voter is better protected under the new Constitution, If additional pro- lection were needed than under the ex- isting law, since provision Is made Tor an appeal from the action of the reg
 istrar without bond to jury, in case person applying for registration IS re fused No right of appeal exists under the present law, nor has one been found necessary, but it is given as an addi- tional precaution iu the new Constitu- ton.
 The registration feature of the new
 Constitution is in force only next yea:
 All subsequent registrations must ,p pe
 sole purpose for providing for the tenn
 porary registration next year Tn the con
 stitution was to save the necesslty oL an
 extra session of the Legislature; IT reg. istration had not been provided Tor, an
 extra session of the Legislature. at \ cos. of probably forty thousand dollars.
 would have been necessary. That extra st Essd as sass se n.w does, and there is no probability that the plan of registration devised by the Lea fsiature would have been wiser or fairer
 ton. In either case registration wouki have to be made by men of someoodyf ~
 appointment. It has been said py one of our most distinguished men tha.:
 "In nearly all the States the right to
 vote at elections is made to depend upon
 a previous registration made by officers
 appointed according to law. This pre- caution Is really Vltdl to tne SoNcicibA power of self-government."
 Fraudulent registration under the new Constitution. by registrars, is prohibited under a penalty of from one to five years in the penitentiary. The list is required to be filed in the office of the Judge or Probate of each county, by the first day of February, 1903 or as soon thereafter as practicable, and in the office or Sec reary of State by the first day of March. | 1903, or as soon thereafter as practicable. and the Legislature is required to pro | vide for purging the list of all who may | have beer fraudulently registered or | who die or become insane. Under tfese safe guards every right of the voter ts 1 fully protected.
 The poll tax Is required to be paid only
 by those who are now liable to pay 1t
 under the existing statutes. In fact, un. | der the old Constitution, poll taxes could | be required of every citizen, no matter | how old. Under the new, it cannot be | required of those over forty-five years | of age unless the Legislature should see | fit to extend it, in which case it could | not be extended to those over sixty years of age Moreover, under the old Consti- I tuition there are no exemptions from poll l taxes provided for, but under the pres-
 ent Constitution all persons are exempt | ed from poll tax who are permanently | disabled, and whose taxable property does not exceed s500.0o.