The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-01-17
VOTERS ARE NOT PAYING POLL TAX Same Condition All Over the
 State 194,472 ARE REGISTERED From the Outlook It Is Regarded as Doubtful If the Qualified Hector
 ate VIII Reach
 100000.
194,472 ARE REGISTERED

Montgomery, January 16.-(Special.)- With, the promise of more politics to the square inch this year than has been known in Alabama for several years, there seems to be an alarming lack of interest in the payment of poll taxes, necessary to qualify the elector who is under 45 years of age Reports from all parts of the state show this same state of affairs, and with only two weeks more In which to pay the tax, 1t really appears that the vote in the approaching elections is to be very limited.
 The total registered vote In Alabama is l 194,472 of which number 29s0 are negroes. In recent years interest in elections seems to have been on the decrease. and in the last election not half of the qualified electors exercised the suffrage right. The total vote cast for governor only reached 91,s62. The democratic vote was 67e4s. May Not Reach 100000. Unless there Is very heavy payment of poll taxes during the next two weeks it is doubtful if the qualified electorate in the state will reach more than 100, coo. Jefferson county, the largest in the state, | ildS u lOldl TeBlSlTdtlOn OI ID, DOU, yet the l poll tax payment in the county Is said to be less than 40o0 up to date. During the past week representative men from all sections of the state have been at the capital and they report that the average payment of the poll taxes IS about the same as in Jenerson county.
 A study of the registration by counties is very interesting just on the eve of the campaign, especially since the or 1 dering of a primary election for the se- lection of candidates. The registration of two yeass ago will have to stand in the l April primaries, as there Is no provision for additional registration until August The total registered vote by congressional districts is as follows:
 Vote By Districts.
 First District--Choctaw 142S; Clarke, 2236; Marengo, 2lS2; Mobile. 72s7; Monroe, 17s2; Washington, HIS; total, 160o5. l Total vote cast for congress in 1902, 5974
 Second Dstrict-Baldwin, 1913; Butler, 26S2; Conecuh, 1913; Crenshaw, 27s2; Gov ington, 2566; Escambia, 1452; Montgomery. 4554 Pike, 3l67 Wilcox, 1884; total, 22.113 Total vote for congress in 1902, S557. Third District-Barbour 2631 Bullock. 1235; Coffee, 2925; Dale, 3246; Geneva, 2422; Henry, 477S; Lee, 2449; Russell, 127s; total. 20, 965.
 Total vote for congress In 1902-9035. Fourth district created since the regis tration out of parts of Henry, Geneva and Dale. Calhoun. 4734; Chiffon, 2639; Gle burne, 2111; Dallas 2385; Shelby 3206; Tal- ladega, 3256 Total, 1s.331.
 Total vote for congress in 1902-s92S. Fifth Dstrict-Autauga, 1902; Chambers, 3060; Clay, 3204; Coosa, 2271; Fillmore. 3111; Lowndes, 1105; Macon, 1923; Randolph, S225; Talapoosa, 400S. Total, 22509.
 Total for congress In 1902-11.539.
 Sixth District-Fayette. 2477; Greene. 7ss;. Lamar, 2367; Marion 2429; Pickens' 2233; Sumter, 1232 Hale, 12i7; Tuscaloosa. 3s46; Walker, 1884 Total, 20,sS3
 Total vote for congress in 1902-10,1S2
 Seventh District--Cherokee, S26; Gull man, l74; DeKalb, 4645 Etowah, 4224; Franklin, 2323; Marshall, 4012 St. Clair. 273S Winston, TIT. Total. 27,019.
 Total vote for congress in 1902-17,6s1.
 Eighth Dstrict-Colbert. 2047; Jackson, 4424; Lauderdale 3242; Lawrence, 2252; Limestone, 2409; Madison, 4535; Morgan, 3946 Total. 22,S55. Total vote for con- gross in 1902 9S24.
 Ninth DistrIct-Bibb, 2391; Blount, 3445; Jefferson 6250; Perry 157s. Total. 23664. Total vote for congress in 1902, S770.
 It will not be very difficult to select the ground of battle in the approaching primaries The Seventh, Eighth, Sixth and Ninth congressional districts fur nish the most inviting fields to the can didates. It happens, too, that warm con- tests for the congressional nomination in the Seventh and Sixth will aid to bring out the vote in those districts.