The Springdale news., 1907-04-05
MIR. SIMPSONS
 PROPOSED AMENDMENT

NIT. olHlls0H Ol " aoiiAiiS < toti County recently introduced a res olution proposing all amendment to the Constitution making de- cided change in qualifications for voting. In speaking of the mat ter MT. Simpson is quoted as follows:
 "The present general assem- bly should submit a constitution al amendment upon the elective franchise. The supreme court has virtually declared the poll tax amendment not constitution ally adopted. Its invalidity was claimed unofheially by the at torney general and other able lawyers during the last state campaign. and the then chief eX- ecutive repeatedly promised par don for any election officer who might possibly incur the penal ties of the law for the compliance with the terms of said polltax re- quirement. Failure on our part to fully guard and protect the franchise may let loose upon us in the next general election q horde of. irresponsible nigger voters. While we are submit- ting an amendment to cover the poll tax proposition, we should seize the opportunity to take ad- vanced ground for the purpose of honest elections and cleaner poli- tics. Nearly all the Southern States are much in advance of Arkansas in their constitutional requirements regulating the cleo tive franchise. All of them pro- vide for registra ton of electors. and nearly all an educational qualification. Without question, the ballot should be in the hands of a citizenship, intelligent, pa tr1otic and identified with the in- terests of the state. The amend ment proposed may have defects, and some changes possibly should be made by the committee OH con- stitutional amendments, but without question Ii should re- eeive serious consideration from the legislature, and We should give to the ballot the greatest se- curity, q security that will safe guard Us against the contingent cies of future immigration, whose use of the ballot might be sub versiye of good government, and of ignorant negroes, while pro- tecting every good citizen in the full and free exercise of his cleo toral rights
 THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT.
 Section 1. All elections by the people shall be by ballot; but the general assembly may enact laws authorizing the use of print ed devices of symbols to indicate an electors choice of candidates for public office, and laws per hitting the use of voting ma chimes in elections.
 Sec. ?. Every male citizen of the United States. native born or naturalized, of the age of 21 years, who has resided in the state two years, in the county one year, and in the voting pre- einct three months, next preced- ing any election in which he may propose to vote, shall be m cleo for and entitled, if possessing other constitutional qualifiea- tions, to vote at all elections by the people; provided, that remov- al from one precinct to another in the same county shall not op- crate to deprive an eleetor of the right to vote in the precinct from which he has removed until three months after such removal.
 Sec. }. Every person offering to vote shall be at the time a le- gally registered voter in accord ance with the terms herein pre- seribed and hereafter provided by law and the general assembly of