The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1906-06-22
TO MODIFY PROVISION.
To Accept Poll Tax Arrearages Before
Election.

Election.
The New Orleans Times Democrat
recently contained the following com
munication regarding the present I'M
wise system of restricting the ballot
that calls attention to a matter seem.
ingly in need of a correction. The ar
ticle reads as follows:
To the Editor of the Times Demo
crat: Outing the month of December
last, contributed to your columns a
suggestion in the matter of the unwise
policy of ballot restriction which pre-
walls in this state under laws enacted
conformably to article 1913 of the con-
stltutiOn of Louisiana, and attempted
to show that the provisions of that ar
ticle requiring the poll tax to he paid
on or before the 3lst day of December
in each year is indefensible, both in
good political ethics and in fiscal pol
icy, unnecessarily restricting the sutf-
rage in this state and largely augment
the deficit in the public school fund.
That communication having been
prepared about the middle of the
month of December, it was not posi-
BILE then to determine the aggregate
number of poll taxes which would be
paid for the year ending December 81,
1905, but a statement rendered of the
collections of the year 1905 shows an
aggregate payment of only $l41,559.
A further study therefore of the con-
ditions prevailing in this state, which
conduce both to diminish the vote and
to deplete the public school fund, adds
emphasis to the suggestion contained
in my last communication Of last De-
cember, that article 1913 of the consti-
tuition of Louisiana should be SO
amended that all arrears of poll taxes
could be paid by the delinquent within
three months next preceding the date
of any election held within this state.
When it is considered that the state
of Louisiana, comprising in 1900, 729,
6l2 white people furnished in the ma.
tional election in 1904, but 50, 90S votes
and that the entire vote of Louisiana
in state elections is frequently nc
more than should be provided by the
city of New Orleans alone, and it is
then further considered, that possess
ing a greater percentage of illiteracy
than any other state in the Union, and
having poll tax devoted to the schoo
fund, there were paid in Louisiana
during the year 1905, but 147,55 pol
taxes, it must be realized how indie
fensible is any provision of constitu
ton or law which unnecessarily di
minlshes the number of votes and de
creases the funds accrueing to the sup
port of the public schools.
The poll tax payments are applied
solely to the support of the publi
schools, and there can be no goo'
reason lwhy the state of Louisiana
should assume the position OF fool
ish and naughty creditor refusing T.
allow the payment of obligations. a
all unless they be paid during the yea
when due.
Since the delinquent who faile
through negligence or indifference t
pay his poll tax last year, cannot pun
chase by payment OF the tax this yea
a right to participate in an election
he again becomes delinquent and tn
resulting condition is that thousand
, of dollars will be lost to the school
fund this year. Louisiana is not ric
enough: her schools are not so numel
Gus and overlooking that she can t
4 warranted in resolutely adhering to
policy which not only renders indiffe1
ept and nerveless the electorate OF Il
state, constantly restricting the nun
Der of its voters, but that contribute
Il also each year to the depletion OF II
scnool und, rlvet!ng upon us MOI
completely the disgrace OF illiterac,
S There should be no delay in the di
e cussion of this subject. There
S no problem more imperatiyely d
e manding prompt and proper solutic
q than that which involves the right
a delinquent to pay a tax and whit
virtually concerns the welfare OF tt
g public schools. In the proper amen
nent of article 1873 of the constitutio
e lies the solution of this problem. II
;, constitution itself shows that the ado
q ton of the provisions of article i
IS was of doubtful force and expediene
It for the unusual power was there