Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1903-06-18
THURSDAY. JUNE is, 1908.
NOT BELATED SPASM

TOuK 1Q6d6 vi luC Ouhi Law hOH'
the columns of the Pilotin another column
of this issue. The Virginian-Pilot in it's
issue of the 10th inst. had another edito'
rial in which it admitted it had been III
error as to the provisions of the suffrage
law. 1t says:
"In reply to contemporary, several
days ago, the Virginian Pilot made the
statement that those who register under
the new suffrage law this year would moi
have to pay poll tax as prerequisite to
voiDg in 1904 We said that the pay
ment Of poll tax would be prerequisite
to registration In 1904, but not to voting.
We find on examination of the most recent
opinion of the Attorney-General that we
are partially in error-the payment of poll
tax for 1908 is prerequisite both to vot-
ing aud to registration in 1904"
Right here we wish TO say that our Nor
folk contemporary "should be more care
full of its facts and allegations" before it
cautions us to exercise more care. We
will say further, that if it will examine the
constitution carefully and with that honest
spirit which iseems to energize it as
champion of the rights of the people, it
will find many secret things in the new
organic law that are plainly intended to
destroy the influence of the masses and
place all power in the hands of few. The
whole tendency and spirit of the new suf-
frage law is to restrict the elective fran
chse to as few as possible. Whether that
WIS the intention or not of its trainers we
Can only determine by its effects and by
the plans that were adopted to put it in
operation.
Our Norfolk contemporary declares that
it was opposed to the provision which gave
registrars authority to act without requr-
ing them to take an oath. With its avowed
purpose of defending the rights of the
masses it, and all other newspapers hold
ing honest convictions, should have been
hostile to the iniqultous provision. If any
other Democratic newspaper in Virginia
expressed disapproval we are unable to
recall it. The ordinance provision which
relieved registrars from taking IN oath was
a trick; and according to the testimony OF
one member of the Revision Committee,
was an intentional trick of the men who
made the constitution. 1t was desperate
ly vicious trick, to turn men loose tc pass
81 upon the suffrage rights of citizens, without
requiring them to take an oath to perform
II cir duties honestly.
The act of the convention was wicked
enough, but the recent act of the General
Assembly which makes registrars conserva.
tors of the peace, which authorizes them
10 appoint constables to surround places
OF registration and to hold secret sessions
of the boards of registration, is the most
tyranical, partisan and vicious piece of
legislation ever enacted in free country.
The Federal "force bill" which has been
so severely denounced by the Democratic
press was not half so wicked as this force |
bill" passed by Democratic Legislature
and upheld by Democratic press. The
Federal "force bil' was intended to pro-
tect citizens in the exercise of their rights
at the ballot.box. The Virginia "force
bill'' is intended to prevent citizens from
registering so that they can vote.
Our Norfolk contemporary is constantly
afflicted With debated" spasms on account
of the violation of the rights of the people
by the trusts, and it has frequent par
oxysms over the race question; but when
its attention is call to the bold invasion of
the rights of the plain people by the Office
holders trust in Virginia it remains inert
as do all It's Democratic contemporaries,
This ofhce-holders' trust began its insidi-
Gus work with calling constitutional con-
ventlon by the use of fraudulent methods.
Itpursued its treacherous course by break.
ing its sacred pledge to submit the con-
stitution to the people for ratification. Aud
it has so shaped the suffrage and registra-
ton that the right to vote will ultimately t
be denied to one.half the white voters
in the Commonwealth. The understand.
ing clause" dlsfranchised many thousands
at the registration held in 1902. We re.
call the fact that the Virginian- Pilot, i'm
mediately after that registration, showed
that more white men than negroes had Il
been DISTINGUISHED in Norfolk. u
Our contemporary in 1904 will be able r
to see the deadly work of the poll tax
qualification for voting, and will be salts
fed that it was a trap set to crush the
elective franchise of the poor man. Per-
maps it will then realize what serious 81
mistake it made as an exponent of popu-
ar rights in not uniting with US in decrying Il
he wrongs that are being inflicted upon -
,ur people by constitutional and legislative if
'nactment. 1t will not then rebuke US =
or INDUCING in what it calls ga some Il
L