The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-05-06
ALL SHOULD REGISTER.

There Is nobody authorized to settle the
question that the Kinston Free Press
says was raised in Kinston on election
day The Free Press says:
1.-The question arose today at the polls
as to whether a man could vote in the
municipal election under the grandfather
clause" A voter. who had not registered
for the spring election. rendered his vote
under the permanent registration provis-
ion of the grandfather clause" and was
refused by the poll holders to be allowed
to vote on the grounds that the precinct
election was being held under the election
law as provided for in the amended char
ter as passed by the last Legislature.
This being an election where a majority
OF the qualified voters is necessary for an
election, the judges decided that the only
way to determine a majority of the quail
fed voters was by reference to the regis
tration books of this springs election, and
refused to allow a voter who had not
qualified himself in this way to vote. The
circumstance created more or less COM
ment on the streets, some taking both
sides"
There will no doubt be some difference of
opinion as to this matter, but. in our
Judgment, the Kinston people settled 1t
correctly. The permanent record of voters
under the grandfather clause does not
give to the man registered under that
merely makes him eligible to vote for all
time without being subjected to the edu-
cational test. His certificate, while Civ
ing him this perpetual right to vote, ought
not to exempt him from the duty of OBJ
serving the necessary details to preserve
the value of his ballot. The new Con-
stitutional Amendment does not execute
itself 1t provides that no man registered
under the grandfather clause shall be de-
MED the right to vote, but that is all II
does not guarantee to excuse him from the
easy and necessary duty of registering
when all other voters are required to reg
lister. 1t merely gives to him perpetual
exemption from the educational test.
II every man who has grandfather
clause certificate is permitted to vote
without registering no election that calls
for the majority of the qualified voters
can be carried. Every person having one
against the proposition. though many @.
them might have moved away. If man
who holds a certificate of registration
under the grandfather clause can vote
without registration, the door may be
opened to repeating and other evils, unless
the books are constantly revised and cor
rected and kept up-to-date-a thing very
difficult to accomplish. There can be no
hardship to say to grandfather clause
voter: You are protected in your right
of suffrage for all time. All you have tC
do IS to register" 1t is somewhat incon-
venient TO register but is really not much
trouble. OF late years there has been .
new registration at every election which
was neeessitated by peculiar conditions.
In the future no new registration ought
to be required except at long intervals
In 1890 the Democrats passed a new
election law-that required new regis
tration. In 1892 they did likewise. Then
the Fusionists passed new law in 1894
and again in 1886. In 1898 the Democrats
passed a new election law and submitted
the amendment. In 1900 a complete new
registration under the new law was neces-
sary. 1t is TO be hoped that in the flu
ture there will be no change from the
present control in the State and that the
dominant party will not require frequent
registration of voters,