The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-03-23
SATURDAY, MARCH o. 1901.
THE cArITATI0N TAX.

In an article CT recent, uaip on tho
suffrage question. The Times said that
it was Il well-eslablished fact that in
Mississippi. in Louisiana. in Alabama
and in other Southern States, where
the payment of the polliaN is made Il
prerequisite 10 voting. the negro Vote
has been almost entirely eliminated,
and we express the opinion that the
adoption of q similar device i'll Virginia
would scls-e the problem of negro suf-
flage in this State.
IN reply we haye an Interesting COM
mundcsl1ion from Mr. Il. S. Thomas, OF
Smitllfield. in which lie says:
doubt exceedingly if the mere require
menJ of the prepayment OF the poll-taX
as il now exists in Virginia would debaI
as many negroes from voting as is COM
monty supposed. Until 4 few days ago 1
thought il would exclude a great many.
but upon a Very slight examination OF
the matter j found out that was mis-
taken.
pom examination of that exceedingly
valuable report of the Auditor of Public
Accounts for The year ending September
80. 1900. so far as it relates to the coun-.
ties Of Isle OF Wight. Nansemond. South
ampton. Surry and Norfolk. l found out
that the actual capitatian tax paid TO the
was no politics III the payment was as
follows, VIZ:
White. Coiored.
Nansemona- ---.-- .--1-l.o 5,.1ov
Isle of Night.---.-- --..--lins LOO
Southampton. - ioS MO
Surry.-.-- .-......... SiS i,u.S
Norfolk county, ----.4.2S3 3.iUh
In order that / might understand the
full significance of these figures i wrote
to the Census Bureau for the exact ne
gro population of the counties for the
year 1900 and / enclose the reply OF w.
c. Hunt, Esq. chief statistician for pop
ulation:
Anticipating that The information
could not now he obtained, l turned To
the census of 1880 and the population of
these counties is given as follows, VIZ:
White. Colored.
Isle of Wight. -. .G.12o ais;
Nansemond.. $500. ......S,sGi 1854
southampton. 49,. 49,. S,l64 ll'mol
Narfoik cau,ity.... ..:;1.ssl saa.Gs1
The voting population of the same
counties is given as follows VIZ;
White ored nard. WiSe.
Isle of Wight. Ills lbs 81; 80 Gs sS
Nansemond. = -.--2.oaS" :,G1p LUIS 1.n.s3
Southampton. ..2ela 2,s3S l, Ses S,0
Norfolk co.. III. 06o 1o312 200 o,S41
1t will be observed that in every case
save one tSurry) the capitation tax paid
by both white and black was in excess OF
The vote given 30 Maynard and Wise.
The total colored vote of the State, as
given by the census OF 1880 was 5ia.SII.
Now estimate the voting population of
the State on that basis as is usual, and
as each man DlcaSeS. and see what 1t Is.
The actual total capitation tax paid in
and accounted for by that same excellent
report Of The First Auditor is S12i o,;s.
and that, too, when no right 10 vote was
involved. What would il be if the right
to vote WAS involved
These figures are not thrown out for
Il
. suggestions 10 those who are studying
one subject that Will be nppermost in the
minds of every member of thc Constitu-
tionai Convention.
Our correspondent has fallen into
the error of misstaiaing assessments for
collections. The Auditors report. 10
which he refers, does not give The
amount of canitation taxes collected.
hut The amount assessed The number
Of polls in each county. But we haze
dallen the trouble 10 ascertain The
number of Whites and blacks III The
counties named wllo do not lfly their
pell-t Ses, and ne confess that the re-
suit of our investigation is somewhat
surprising. Ne find that in Nanse-
mond. the delinquent whites are 22..sS
and 1he delinquent blacks. S:sl. In
Isle of MIGHT, The delinquent whites
are aauT and The delinquent hacks. ini.
In Su,ry. "A whites and aia blacks.
In Sussex. les whites and :1s blacks.
In Southampton. 225i whites aud sas
blacks.
We had mol supposed thai the nn.n-
Der of delinquent blacks w;,:' 50 small.
ON the ether hand. we find That III the
western counties Tire delinquent whise
iist is considerable and The delinquent
black Hist very small. as there are few
negroes III that section OF the State.
III TazewelI. the delinquent whites
number 722 and the delinquent bucks
241, In Snlyth. White, 6622;; blacks
l0I. In Scott, whites, GIG: blacks. 111.
The Times has no pet theory We
are sitter the true solution of the prob
Aoan and ne wani all the light possible
oi, aile subject Hence we iasiiea free
and full discussioa through our cols