Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-09-10
VOTERS AND JURORS.

A report comes from Portsmouth to the
effect that many voters are Sinking the
duty of registering there because they
think they will be able to avoid jury
duty In this connection Judge James
F. Croker is quoted as saying that the
ruse referred to will prove Intellectual in
accomplishing the ends desired-a state
ment which thorough examination Of
the existing laws proves to be undoubted-
Is correct. Judge Croker, discussing the
necessity of registering as a condition
precedent to qualification for jury ser
vice, says:
1.-THE Constitution itself does not require
1t. and it is probable that never again
in Virginia will it be necessary that one
should have the qualifications Of a voter
in order 10 be competent for jury SER
vice; thus failure to register is the mere
neglect of a public duty, and avails moth
ing whatsoever toward exemption from
jury duty
The persons who are thus seeking to
dodge jury service evidently overlook the
iact that the Legislature, at its extra
session, enacted a law which precudes
all doubt on this subject. The statute APP
the Code Of Virginia, which, in its origi-
nal form, was headed WHO Liable to
Serve as Jurors
Here is the new act-caption and all:
..Who Qualified to Serve as Jurors.-An
male citizens, q years CT age and not
over CO. who shall have been residents
OF this State twelve months; and OF the
county city. or town in which they re-
Ci1 preceding
being summoned to serve as such, and
competent in other respects except as
hereinafter provided, shall remain and be
liable to serve as jurors: provided that
no officer, soldier seaman, or marine OF
the United States army or navy shall be
considered resident of this State by rea-
son Of being stationed herein, nor shall
inmates of any charitable institution be
excluded as serving as jurors: First,
also, that Inc following persons shall be
excluded as serving as jurors First,
idiots and lunatics; second, persons con-
victed of bribery, perjury, embezzle-
,nent of public funds. treason, felony, or
petit larceny"
Observe that this emergency statute
smits the words '.All male citizens, etc.
who are entitled TO vote" But for pur-
noses of more careful. comparison, we
also quote section 3ls9 in its original form.
Here it Is:
who Liable to Serve as Jurors.-All
male citizens, Il years OF age and not
over CO. who are entitled to vote and hold
office under the Constitution and laws OF
this State, shall be liable to serve as jul
rors. except as hereinafter provided.
From this it would certainly seem that
me might lack the qualifications to
become voter and still possess the quail
fcations to be juror.
In this connection, however, it may not
he amiss to call attention to the fact that
the anendatory statute apparently limits
The qualifications of jurors strictly to
ages from q to 60 years, whereas the old
law. though holding persons between those
sees liable" for jury service, did not
exclude men over CO.
IL persons between p and GO years of age
ire. to use the specific language of the
statute, qualified to serve as jurors, then
IRE not those over GO disqualified? This
line Of construction, IL followed-and many
s sawyers think it will Devil deprive the
state Of very useful class of jurors
Anen who possess mature Judgment, men
. who are aged but are by no means senile.
Certainly thousands OF our fellow-citi-
i Gems. over GO years of age, would indig-
nantly resent the idea that they no longer
POSSESS the ability and intellect to sit on
4 Il, a.spl,ries
b!iBut all this may be remedied, and the
9. statute which we quote as the existing
law is merely an emergency act, designed
e fo meet present conditions.
ltoW baR -----------------------
sasR ssasTsng to the sugar crop, the New
.Orleahs Picayune says
bsans,fhia f,boff RESULTS Of the past three sea-
Ears Rive aSff Encouraged the sugar pro-
y dncers. although their power to effect inn