The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-03-06
poLL-TAX TO B E.P PREREQUISITE

sion of the convention yesterday was su e
voted to efforts to amend in some l otlli
section six of the report on finance a anu
taxation which prescr1bes the payih 'ii.
of sl.a0 capitaticn tax and PROVIDES tLal
il should not be collected by distress. The
effort was directed towards striking OUT
the last provision. The debate sounded
like a suffrage conference, as that Dues
ton was the burden of the struggle. inc
defeat of the amendments foreshadoWed
a pre-requisite-paid-ca pitatio on taN-before-
voting. in the suffrag article.
one important amendment was adopted
authorizing the Legislature to give SUI
pervisors of cities, towns or counties pow
or to levy q local capitation tax OF 81
for special local school purposes.
a good days work was done in the
adoption OF thirteen sections of the re-
port. the convention adjourninS at
o'clock While considering section ftteeh
relating to exempting certain classes or
property from taxation.
The Day III Detail.
Rev. w. T. Derieux, of Vcnablc-street
Baptist Church, opened the convention
with prayer fifty-two members being
present.
The report on taxation and finance was
taken ul: Section A, requiring a re-
assessment of real estate in 1903 and
every fifth year thereafter; ., providing
for special and separate assessment of
coal and other mineral land were offered
to without division.
PAYMENT OF C!aPlTATlON= TAN
JHlge Harrison submitted All amend
mcnt TO section 6, fixing the capltat1on
tax at s1.50 He moved TO strike out the
clause "but said capitation tax shall not
be a lien upon, nor collected by, legal pro-
cess from the personal property winch
may be exempt from levy or distress tn-
der the poor-debtors law.
Judge Harrison insisted that this prill-
ciple of allowing citizens who enjoyed
every benefit OF education, protection IN
person, liberty, life and property out Oh
taxes paid by others. was wrong ana
vicious. Every able-bodied citizen who
was liable 10 a poll-tax should be made
TO pay il, if he had any property out or
which it could be made.
Mr. Hamilton stoutly opposed the
amendment SAYING it was unanimously
recommended by the Democratic mem
bcrs of the Suffrage Committee.
Mr.. Moore, in opposing it, said it was
iE line with the suffrage clauses Of other
Southern States, because it had been
found that when the collection OF the
c:pitaton tax was non-compulsory, the
vast bulk Of the negro voters failed to
pay it, and were unable to vote.
HOW IT WORKED.
Mr.. O'Flahcrty made Il strong speech
in support Of the amendment. He called
attention to the practical operation of
the law by showing that 4 healthy, able
Bodied negro, who was making 81 to 50
per day, and educating half u dozen chill
dren out of public funds, would DC OK
cuscd from contributing q cent of taxes
towards it, while n poor white widow
!, c.,,,. III nrnnHrfV
compelled to pay q property tax twice
the amount that would have 5Deen neces-
sary if poll taxes were collected by dis
t:ess
Mr.. Flood favored the amendment and
81 id it was-payillg a high price to crafty
the advocates of Il pnl tax; prerequisite
in the suffrage article. lie charged
that it was done in the interest Of the
cities stating that country people, as
u rule. paid their capitation taxes
while those in the cities did not, thus
adding Immensely to all property taxes.
In Richmond. out of 10000 liable for
pcl-taSes, nearly 10000 Of them did not