The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-05-30
REGISTRATION BoARDs-AGAlN.

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REGISTRATION BOARDS-AGAlN.
The Blackstone Courier Of this week
contains an admirable editorial article
on the aIl-important question Of the man
ner of selecting men III this community
and that to compose the registration
boards. After citing the ordinance I'm :
der consideration, the Courier says:
Under this provision will be placed a
large number Of applicants who can not
register under any of the exemption
clauses and the board will have to pass
upon their qualifications. This Is put
ting in the hands of the board a great
deal Of power-in fact the political nper-
| ties of these applicants. 1t can readlly
be seen then how essential 1t Is that sooo
| men should be chosen as members OF inc
Boards of Registration.
We have no doubt that the conVen-
ton will exercise great care and pru-
dence in making these selections. It
will have to be guided almost solely by
the delegate from the different counties
as to appointments in their respective
counties The delegates as rule are
familiar with the people who make up
their constituents. and where they are
not familiar they can learn from some
calities.
The Courier has so often stated what
1t believed to be the true test Of the priv
ilege Of suffrage that it is useless TO re-
peat that here. We would be forced 10
ccnstri1e, under the understanding
clause" as ineligible all those who couiu
not substantiate their claim to pohtlcai
citizenship by evidences of education ana
the possession of something tangible from
n fri
mort of the government. We cannot I'M
derstand how any one not possessed OF
these can understand the responsiblil-
ties of citizenship. or would be the looser
should the privilege of suffrage be de-
MED them. 1t is to be hoped, and we
believe the convention will consider We'll
those appointments, that the justice 10
those who should have the pr1v1iege .ano
the fairness to those who should not
will receive equitable consideration
In private note from the editor OF
the Courier we are Informed that this ar
ticle was already in type when the hrst
article in The Times on this subject ap-
peared. We mention the fact as an in
teresting coincidence and by way of en-
phasizins the Importance of the subject.
The Courier is published in the very
heart of the black belt and we are not
surprised that our contemporary feels SO
deep an interest in the matter under dis
cussion, for everything depends upon the
proper administration of the new suf-
frage law in those sections where there
are large numbers of negroes. Under
the understanding clause the regis
trars will have absolute power to admit
many persons to the suffrage or to ex-
clude them, and such power is to be
exercised only by men of honesty and
discretion. If this power be put into
the hands of tricksters or the slayish
representatives of local cliques and fac
lions with the Democratic party, we can
not hope that the law will be admins
tered in accordance with the intent of
the convention, and all sorts of abuses
will be possible.
The Courier says that the convention
will have to be guided almost solely by
the delegates from the different counties
as to the fitness of the applicant. This
is in a measure true, yet we sincerely
hope that the log-rolling process will not
be employed in making these appoint
ments. Without meaning to reflect upon
any member of the convention. we say
| that these appointments should be made
by the convention as a body and that the
selections should not be left absolutely
to this delegate and that for their re-
spective communities. The convention
ought to take as much time and as much
pains as necessary to ascertain the
exact situation in each section and the
| character of the men to be selected. We
| heartily concur in the suggestion of a
| member of the convention mentioned in
| these columns yesterday, that the names
! of all applicants or nominees be pub
Eshed in advance, that the voters in this
| community may have an opportunity of
| studying the list and of making pro-
| test, if they SO desire, to the convention:
|