The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-01-21
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Notes by the Wayside.
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The matter of paying the poll tax is becoming most serious one. Only ten uays more remain in which the tax can pc paid, and all who are subject to the February will be deprived of the right to vote in the primaries or in the general election in November A great oeal or surprise has been expressed at the fact that there are so many white men who are either so very indifferent about their Iranchise privilege or who are deliber- ately disfranchising themselves by re- Iusal to pay the tax. It is to be regret- ted that this is true, but it Is so. and most people will feel that any white man who from any cause of his owl voliticn. will forfeit his right to vote, ought not only to be deprived of it, but IS not worthy to exercise it. I cannot believe that there are many white mer. WHO would purposely deprive themselves and must attribute the widespread fail- ure to pay the tax to apathy and over slght. In the ten days the Tax Collect ors VII be kept busy and 1t is more than probable that every white man who tcan do so will pay tine tax. The age limit Is TOW from z1 to 45 years, but the Legis- ls ture is given the power to increase it.. It was discussed in the recent Constitu- tional Convention ard an effort made to increase the age to 60 years, but 1t met with much opposition and the same may be expected in the Legislature, but there are q large number of people who will think that every one should be more than willing to pay the small pittance each year in aid of the public schools.
 The warehouses of the State are full of cotton and in many instances the sta pie is piled up in the yards. The own CTS or cotton are not selling, hoping for an advance in price. Will they get 1t? If there would be fortune within my grasp. But 1t is all guess work and upon the price. of cotton depends the state of the pocket book of many a man who has worked hard to make what little he has. As a rule the cotton crop has passed out of the hands of the. far mer. but everywhere may be found who have kept out of debt and have made money who are able to hold their cotton in the hope of getting higher all pi' but % Viii thess W There i 'r are T predic- tons of short crop and much higher prices, but no living power can tell as to that The farmers who make cotton and depend upon it to get everything else are always sure to be in a strait and the sooner they learn to make every thing for home consumption the better off they will be.
 The Registrars nave all been appointed and the work of registering the voters will soon begin in the various counties of is fixed for the beginning of the registra- tion, but due notice must be given there of and the Registrars must exercise ordi- nary diligence in the performance of their duties As a matter of course. the mere act of registering. like that of pay ing the poll tax, must be entirely volun- tary and no man can register unless he comes up to the requirements of the sui frage clause of the new Constitution The man who does not get on the per manent list will have to take his chances under the plan in operation. after 1903, which will include the property and ed- ucational qualification and the time may come again in Alabama when to own 40 acres and a mule will be quite a dis tinction. The property qualification Tn the new Constitution only prescribes the ownership of so much money value in real estate or personal property worth $500. It must be borne in mind that the man who deprives himself of the right to vote in general elections will not be allowed to take part in the party prl- maries, for section 1S3 of the Constitution pI ovdes that mo person shall he qndli- fled to vote or participate in any primary election, party convention, mass meeting or other method of party action of any political party or faction. who shall not pssess the qualiticatins prescribed in this article for an elector, or who snail ne disqualified from voting under the pro- visions of this article.
 A penalty is provided also in the sec tion which makes it perjury for any elec- tor to swear falsely when challenged, and must swear that the challenge IS untrue before he is allowed to vote, and violation must be punished by imprison- ment in the penitentiary for not less than one nor more than live years" The work of registering the voters under the new Constitution will soon begin and the people should be familiariZing themselves to some extent with the laws under which they are to act.