The age-herald., 1901-07-23

Ing the registration plan:
 To the Constitutional Convention of Ala bama:
 Being deeply interested in the work of the convention, especially in the suff- rage plan proposed by the suffrage com mittee, and having been requested by several members of your body to make such suggestions as might seem to be pertinent, I have taken the liberty to prepare with some care certain amend ments, which seem to me to be necessary to properly safeguard the registration under the plan proposed by the committee | in order to secure a complete and perfect l registration of the qualified electors in the State.
 The suggestions I make relate alone to the registration of the life electors, as provided in the report of the committed. The entire plan for such registration is contained in section 10, as reported by the committee. (See page 9 of report, section lo) This section provides 'the General Assembly shall provide by law for the registration, after the first day of Janu- ary, 1903, of all qualified electors Until the first day of January, 1903, all electors shall be registered under and in accord ance with the requirements of this sec- tion, as follows" Then follow seven subdivision of section 10, setting forth the plan of registration which the com mittee proposed.
 It is provided in one of said sub-divis- ions that unless he shall become quali- fled and one who shall register prior to the first day of January, 1903, shall re- main an elector during life, and shall be required to re-register only in case of a change of residence on production of his certificate" (Report D. 13 line 18). It will be noted, therefore, first, that the persons registered under the plan propos- ed in section 10 will be voters for life will constitute a life electorate whose status as such will be beyond the control of the Legislature.
 Second-If there is a defect in the plan proposed by the committee 1t will be be- yond remedy after the ratification of the constitution, because that section pur- ports to be complete in itself; to set forth all that it Is proposed to be enacted on the subject embraced in said section. It is self-executing. It Is beyond the pow CT of the Legislature to change it. This being true, gives to this section an in- creased importance. Any plan of regis tration which may fix the status of every voter in the State during life should be well hedged about to prevent fraud in the registration. No plan of ballot reform hoe based upon plan of registration under which fraud Is possible, is deserving of a name. These considerations make 1t necessary that the plan of registration should be hedged about with proper safe guards, so as to provide not only for a full and fair registration, but also to pre- vent any fraud in its execution. Unless proper safeguard Is thrown around the registration the convention will discredit itself before the thoughtful men of the State. The great argument made in fa- vor of calling the convention was to puri- fly the ballot. If the plan proposed by the committee admits of greater fraud than now exists, or if it admits of as much fraud as now exists. or if 1t admits of any fraud whatever 1t should be amend ed so as to prevent it. No man who really desires the purification of the ballot can object to any amendment of the plan proposed, which will insure the people of the State a full, correct and honest regis tration. And no man who Is appointed registrar and who intends faithfully and honestly to perform the duties devolving upon him as such, can or will object to any reasonable amendment which will in- sure the proper performance of that duty by fixing penalties for any failure on his part honestly to perform those duties. No registrar should be held, or sought to be held, liable for any mistake of judgment on his part, but he should be held liable criminally for a dishonest or corrupt per formance of his duties. The plan pro- posed by the committee does not do this. therefore suggest the following amend ments:
 l. The first amendment, I suggest, is to provide that no name can be registered except on the personal application of the voter; and that one man cannot register for another. If the registrars can regis ter a man without his knowledge, they can register a name without there being any voter of that name: and they can register a man against his will; and they can register one man for another. Unless 1t Is provided that no registration shall be made except on the personal application of the voter, and that one man cannot register for another. the food-gates of fraud and corruption will be opened ever at the mercy of those who are will ing to commit fraud att the ballot box. The danger of such a course 1t seems would be apparent. That a life electorate of this State can, be registered without the personal application of the voter would be revolutionary. The report of the com mittee does not require a personal appl- cation by the voter beore his name can be registered on the list of life voters. It does not even require an application un- der oath to register. Section 5, page 12, line 62, simply gives the board of regis- trars "power to examine under oath or affirmation all applicants for registra- ton" It does not require the applica- ton to register to be made under oath. It gives the board power to examine the applicant under oath, but does not in ex- press terms require the application to be made under oath. Under the plan embod- fed in the report. the registrars can ride along the road, or sit in their office. and register any name that may come into their mind. They can register every man nnn nf tuh hnyla