The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-08-09
THE PRIMARY ELECTION.

THE PRIMARY ELECTION.
 It Is important. that it should be well understood who can vote in the Demo- cratic primary August 2.
 The Constitution provides. section ls3. in Article 8. that no person shall be qual fled to vote or participate in any primary election who shall not possess the ouaii- fictions prescribed in that article for an
 elector. or who shall be disqualified from
 voting under the provisions of that ar-
 ticle Section 1s4. in the same article. pro- vides that no person, not registered and qt allied as an elector under the provis- ions of that article, shall vote at the general election in 1902. or at any subse- auent State, County or municipal cleo ton, general. local or special.
 Section 17S in the same article. pro- vides that to entitle a person to vote at any election by the people. he shall have paid on or before the first day of Febru- ary next. preceding the election at which he offers to vote all poll taxes due from
 him for the year 1901. and for each sub seauent year.
 The poll tax under existing law and
 under the new Constitution becomes due
 and payable on the first day of October
 each year. and under the new Constitu-
 ton becomes delinquent on the first day
 of the next succeeding February.
 In the executiou of these provisions the
 ruling of the State Auditors office has
 been that if person became of age
 prior to or on October 1. 1900. he was
 liable for the poll tax for 1901. If he be-
 came of age subsequent to that time he
 was not liable for the poll tax for 1901
 If he became 45 years of age prior to
 October l, 1900. he was not liable for poll
 tax for 1901; if he became 45 subsequent
 thereto he was. In other words, the poll
 tax which was required to be paid on or
 before the first day of last February to
 entitle a person to vote at the general
 election in 1902, was the poll tax that be-
 came due and payable October 1, 1900, and
 delinquent February l. 1901, because, as the Auditor rules, that was the poll tax due from a person for the year 1901. The rule applies to subsequent years, conse- auently, in order to become entitled to | vote in any election which may occur subsequent to February, 1903. the voter must pay, on or before February 1, 19oS, | the poll tax for which he is liable that 1 became due and payable October 1, 1901, and delinquent February 1. 1902. The primary election to be held by the Democratic party the 18th instant, will be governed by the act of February s, 1Sss to regulate primary elections ef rec l ognized political parties in this State | The political party holding primary election under that act is invested with the power of making the rules under | which a voter may be entitled to vote at
 any primary election held by 1t, but the person. in order to vote. must be qual- flied voter under the laws of the State The managers, inspectors, clerks and re- turning officers both under the general law and under the rules of the political party holding a primary election. must take the oath required to be taken by the officers holding elections under the general election laws of the State and are subject to the same penalties and have the same power and are entitled to the same protection.
 In this instance the Democratic party by it's State Executive Committed. has adopted the rules under which voters will be entitled to vote at the primary election the 18th instant, which are as follows:
 Section F. That the following persons shall be allowed to vote In said primary and no others: At such primary election every white man shall have the right to vote who will be by law entitled to vote in the next general election in the pre-
 cinct in which he then offers to vote, and who
 First--Believes in the' principles of the Democratic party and pledges himself to support and vote for-in the succeeding general election-the nominees of such primary election, as declared by the State Democratic Executive Committee, and also:
 Second-Voted for or supported the nom- inees of the Democratic party in each of the last general elections for Congress men. State officers and County. officers, at which he was entitled 10 vote. Those who failed to vote-for the nominees and to support the principles of the Demo cratic party in August 1900, by reason of sickness, abseHes. from the State. or oth- CT providentiafa 6auses or who have since become of age. and who will support the nominees and principles of the Demo cratic party in the November election, 1902, shall be entitled to vote and partici- pate in said primary,
 An offer to vote in the primary shall be pledge to support the nominees. Any qualified voter may challenge any vote as offered upon the ground of want of party allegiance and of intention to vote for such nominees on the part of the voter, as we'll as upon the ground of | the want of any qualifications prescribed. Upon such challenge being made, 1t shall | be a sufficient answer thereto and shall | entitle the vote to be received, for the voter to then and there sign and file with l the inspectors of election the following
 written or printed declaration and pledge, 1 viz.:
 I do declare that I am duly qualified l to vote at this election under the rules | of the Democratic party as prescribed by | the call of this primary election, issued | by the State Executive Committee oi | said party on the - day of July, 1902 and that I have not voted at this cleo ton. And do hereby pledge myself tc | support and vote for the nominees of this primary as declared by the Democratic Executive Committee. This - day ot --. 1902.
 If he shall refuse to so sign and fil,