The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1901-02-16
The Political, Educational and Social Status of the
Negro in Mississippi.
JACKSON, February Z, 1901.

lntN NOtbt -
constitutional law, from college So
in every State in the Union from
legislators who have heard OF the
Mississippi plan" of suffrage, and VINO
want to improve their own. Although
the present constitution of Mississippi
was adopted in 1900, its provisions are
but little known and less understood
outside this State; and hence every IN
ouiry received is doubtless inspired by
a sincere desire to get correct informal
ton on the subject. To impart it is the
only object of this statement.
Here are the franchise sections OF the
constitution of 1900:
Sec. PAL. Every male inhabitant of this
State, except idiots, insane persons, ana
Indians not taxed, who is a citizen OF the
United States. twenty-one years old ana
upwards, who has resided in this state TWO
wears. and one year in the election district
or in the incorporated city or town III
which he offers to vote, and who Is ouIy
registered as provided in this article ana
who has never been convicted of bribery
burglary. theft, arson, obtaining money OF
goods under false pretenses, perjury, Tor
gerry, ENLIGHTENMENT or bignmy, ana VINO
has maid. on or before the first day OF Feb
ruary of the year in which he shall oner 10
vote, all taxes which may have been Legally
required of him, and, which he has had an
opportunity of paying according TO law,
for the two preceding years and VINO shai
produce to the officers holding the election
satisfactory evidence that he has paid said
taxes, is declared to be a qualified ~elector'
but any minister of the gospel in charged OF
an organized church shall be entitled to
vote after six months residence in the cleo
ton district, if otherwise qualified.
Section 242 relates to registration OF
voters.
Sec. 243. A uniform poll tax Of two dol
lars. to be used in aid Of the common
schools. and for no other purpose, Is hereby
imposed on every male inhabltant OF TINS
State between the ages of twenty-one ana
sixty years. except persons who are deal
and dumb or blind, or who are MANNED by
loss of hand or foot; said tax to be a lien
only upon taxable property. The board OF
supervisors of any county may, for the
purpose of aiding the common schools In
that county, increase the poll tax in said
county, but in no case shall the entire poll
tax exceed in any one year three dollars
on each poll. No criminal proceedings shall
be allowed to enforce the collection of the
poll tax.
Sec. pa. On and after the first day of
January, A. D., 1902, every elector shall,
in addition to the foregoing qualifications
be able to read any section Of the c~onstitu-
ton of this State; or he shall be able TO un-
derstand the same when read to him, or
give a reasonable Interpretation thereof.
A new registration shall be made before
the next ensuing election after January the
first, A. D., 1902.
1t will be observed that the fore
going does not ~disfranchise the negro
any more than it does the white man,
1t simply means that the citizen-blacl
or white-who will not pay all taxes
including the uniform poll tax of tive
dollars, to be used in aid of the com
mon school" on or before the first day
of February in which he offers to vote
and who is not intelligent enough t.
read any section of the State constitu
ton, or to understand the same wheI
read TO him, or give a reasonable inter
probation thereof, shall not be allowed
to vote. In other words. he voluntaril,
disfranchises himself for the perio'
named. In the case of the poll tax, j
will be noticed that mo criminal pre-
ceedings shall be allowed to enforce it
collection" The only penalty is, tina
the delinquent cannot vote. And tn
registration statistics of the severa
counties show that there are thousand
of whites as well as blacks who thu
d~isqualify themselves. And the faC
that the poll tax is a school fund, an
that it cannot be otherwise applied
makes this delinquency all the more
be regretted.
The total polls assessed in 1899 wei
273,s77, which. at 81 each, would ha'
made a school fund Of s547,754. {
this, the total collected was 1904, 357.5
showing hat there was unpaid 1854
the delinquemts being mostly n
groes.
CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS.
Sec. 201. 1t shall be the duty Of the leg
lature to encourage, by all suitable meal
the promotion Of intellectual, scientif
moral and agricultural Improvement,
establishing a uniform system OF free pl
lie schools, by taxation or otherwise, 1
all children between the ages Of five a
twenty-one years, and, as soon ss prac
able, to establish schools Of higher grade.
Sec. 206. There shall be a common sch'
fsnd, which shall consist Of the poll {
ITO be retained in the counties where
same is collected) and an additional 81
from the general fund in the State treasu
which together shall be sufficient to ma
tain the common schools for the term
four months in each scholastic year. /
any county or separate school district m
levy an additional tax to maintain
schools for a longer time than the term
four months. The common school fl
shall be distributed among the several co
ties and separate school districts in p
portion to tho number educable children
each, to bo determined rom data collec
through the office of 81 ate superintend
OF education, in the manner to be :
scribed by law.
Sec. 207. Separate schools shall be mi
- wLaAo .@A Al