The Columbus weekly dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 1902-1905, 1903-04-02
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS sRuLING.

"A
date of Sunday to the CONNER
cial says: The opinion of At
torney- General Williams rem
dered yesterday on the primar.
election law is causing mucl
comment here. The opinion vii
give much trouble in a grea
many counties. The attorney
general holds that a man mus
be registered four months be
fore the primary election IN or
der to vote at the primary cleo
ton. Tt is contended here by
many lawyers that the Legislative
intent was to allow qualified cleo
tors who would be qualified a.
the time of the general election
to vote in the primary election
This would mean that if mar
was registered four months be
fore the regular election he could
vote in the primary election. In
Jefferson county the board OF
supervisors has ordered an en-.
tirely new registration to be had
in May, and many counties might
desire to revise their registra-
ton books entirely by ordering
new registrations. Under the
opinion of the attorney general,
the registration in May would
disqualify every man from voting
in the primary.
The new primary election law
provides that qualified electors f"
only shall be allowed to vote in
the primary election. 1t is CON
tended here that qualified cleo
tor under the constitution is an
elector qualified to vote at the
elections referred to and provid-
ed for by the constitution. 1t is
also contended that a primary
so-called, is not an cleo
ton" withing the meaning of the
term as employed by the makers
of the constitution The ques-
ton is a very interesting one.
jackson Special.
This construction of the pri-
mary election law obtains among
the best legal talent of this city,
who adhere to the opinion that if
4 voter is a qualified elector for
general election he is entitled to
in the primary to
make nomination for that cleo
lion.
The predicament which con-
fronts Jefferson county in which
5he entire voting strength of the
county would be disqualified I'M
eSs the board of supervisors can
rescind their order for for new
registration and order the old
registration books used, finds a
parallel in Lowndes county. Sew.
eral months ago the election com
realizing that the
registration and poll books were
n bad condition, requested the
Board of Supervisors to order a
new registration which was done.
Since that time many have claim
I'd the privilege of registering,
)ut about half of the voters
# the county, relying upon the
I'D rule of registering when
he registrar visited their pre-
'inct for that purpose. have fail
ID to exercise this right. To
leny them the right to partici-
oate in the August primary be-
.ause they have not registered |
nd especially since they had no
'fficial notice to do so would be
n outrage upon their rights as
itizens and as men, and one GER
ainly which the party authori-
les in this county will not toler-
tie for an instant.
However, it will be we'll for all
Who can, especially the people of |
he county who have awaited the
-isit of the registrar, to register
t once in case the Attorney-Gen-
rails Ruling is enforc ed. The
primary, the first one
will be held between August 1st
nd August 10th. August 1st is
xactly four months off from to-
.ay so if the State executive com
nittee orders the election for as
ate day as August 10th. the
'eople of the county will still
ave ten days to qualify. They
hould register at once and at
he proper time the prop
r representation should be
made to the State Com mittee
With the request that the first
primary be put off as far as pos
IDLE. In the meantime register,
nd register at once. Tell your
rlends of the Attorney Generals
uling, urge upon them the i'm
'ortance of prompt action in this
natter. The registration books
re open at the circuit clerk s of
ice in the Court House who will
'e glad to accord you this privi-