Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1902-08-26
TUESDAY EVENING. AUG. 20, 1902

THE registration boards will in SIX
weeks have completed the registration
of all persons who expect to vote at the
Congressional election in November
next. The right of suffrage is denied no
one who has heretofore under the elec-
ton laws been privileged to both register
and vote. 1t is hoped, however that
the new organic law will be construed
by the registration boards in the language
and spirit in which it is written, ana
that the registrars will not allow persons
living outside of the city, be they white
or black, to register. The payment Of
taxes as a prerequisite to vote in this
year or 1903 is not suggested by the
constitution. Registration will be IN
this way: First.-A person who, prior
to the adoption of this constitution,
served in time of war in the army or
navy of the United States, of the Con-
federate States, or of any State of the
United States; or, second.-A son OF
such person; or, third. "A person who
owns property, upon which, for the year
next preceding that in which nc offers
to register, State taxes aggregating at
least one dollar have been paid; or,
fourth.-A person able to read any sec
ton of this constitution submitted to
HIM by the officers of registration, and
give a reasonable explanation of the
same. or if unable to read such sec
ton. able to understand and give
reasonable explanation thereof
when read to him by the officers.
This is all plain. The ex-Confederate
or ex-federal, even should they be large
tax payers, will quite naturally register
under the soldiers provision, and their
sons under the second clause; "othe'
property owners who have paid their
taxes. under the third, and all others,
under the understanding, or fourth
clause. 1t is a mistaken idea that only
few can register. A majority of the
voters are neither ex-soldiers nor property
owners. and of course all such can regis
ter under the second and fourth prOvi-
sions. Some of the registrars will have 10
qualify as voters under one or.the other
The object of a board of registrars, in
stead of one registrar as under the old
law, is obvious-thatth the registrars induce
the backward to register, in which the
city democratic committee should assist.
Do not forget, after January |, 1904,
only those will be registered who
are able to write their applications with
out assistance. After that date mot be-
fore) all voters, except veterans of the
civil war, as a prerequisite to vote will
be required to pay the poll tax assessed
or assessable against them for the three
years preceding, and this must be done
at lelst six months prior to election;
that is, any person now Of age will have
to pay not later than May 2, 1904. his
poll tax for 1901-'02-'03 and pay it in
person. Property ownership does not
entitle one to vote in 1904 The poll
tax is the open sesame for that privilege.
The banker, the merchant, the artisan
and the laborer, the rich man, the man
of moderate means, the extremely poor,
the intelligent, the humble, the igno-
rant, the indolent, the son of the soldier,
the refined and the coarse are all placed
on the same plane, and can meet on the
level and part on the square. This poll
tax provision was no doubt placed i'll
the constitution for a dual purpose-to
raise revenue for the public schools, as
it all goes to that fund, and also that
those who desire a voice in the govern
ment of the nation, State, city and
county affairs should pay his 1.-THE to-
wards the support of the State.