Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1907-06-22

provision would disfrsncbise even those
who had paid in November. Under
section SO of the Code u904 8
special election TO fill the office
OF governor must be held within
sixty-five days after the vacancy. So 1t
Is easy to see that If such vacancy oc-
Cured at the right time, no one except
old soldiers could vote, either under the
present law or under Mr.. Machen's
amendment, no matter how promptly
poll taxes were paid.
Therefore, ii it is desired that the per-
sonsl payment of the poll tax, except as
to old soldiers, be prerequisite to the
right to vote, an6 that this tax be paid
at such period as to practically insure
that no candidate, either In general
election or primary, shall unduly in
terest himself in its payment, / make the
following suggestions:
That all Of the otherwise eligible
electors who pay their poll taxes on or
before the first day of December, or some
other certain and fixed day, be allowed
to vote in all elections, regular, special
and primaries, and none others. The
treasurer of each county and city should
be required to file with the clerk Of his
court, by the FIRST day of January sue
ceediug, If December l were fixed ss the
date of payment, list of all persons
who have so paid their poll taxes, which
list should be kept open at sH times to
public inspection.
/ would also suggest that for certain
period before each election no one be
allowed to make application to the
Judge to correct the list. Provision
could easily be made for young voters
who become of age too late to be assessed
with a poll tax.
There would be several advantages ia
such an arrangement:
First, it would be uniform in Its opera
ton, and easily understood. There
would be no chance for June munich
pal election or special election to slip
up on a voter and take him by surprise;
Second, it would give any voter whose
name might, through inadvertance, be
left off the LIST, ample opportunity to
have the error corrected long before even
a primary election in which he claimed
the right TO vote. And it will be re-
called that under the present primary
law, only those entitled to vote in the
succeeding general election may vote in
the primary. In the primary just held
10 some of the counties some of the lists
we're published too late TO have any
err ors corrected.
Third, 1t would give the candidates in
the primaries, as well as 10 the other
elections, full opportunity of knowing in
advance who had the right to vote; and
Fourth, it would deprive the various
treasurers of the immense advantage
they now have, a very dangerous sdvan-
tage it might be if they happened to be
interested 10 the election, either as can
didates for reelection, or as candidates for
other Offices, or otherwise, The list of
voters would be made up and open to
inspection long before the primary. But
now, if the primary comes at an oppor-
tune time, a treasure: may keep his list
Of qualified voters a secret until the very
eve Of a primary in which he may have
the deepest interest. Knowing who his
friends are. he can himself pay the tax
after the specified time, and include such
names in his published list.
| do not mean to say any treasurer has
ever taken advantage of his position.
Bat one of the very objects of the law
is to remove from every one the temp
tation to Jungle with or violate the statue.
Certainly the present arrangement
does not seem to work very satisfactorily,
and can and ought to be remedied.
agree with Mr.. Mschen that this iss
good time to agitate the matter.
While some plan more feasible than
the one outlined may be suggested, |
make these suggestions in the confident
belief that, if adopted, Mr.. Mschen will
find definite and uniform plan more
satisfactory than an arbitrary nine
months period.
Root. A. HUTCHINSON.