The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1907-10-22
The Poll Tax.
Times Democrat.

pressed themselves on tHe pfoNLSlol
that the poll tax must be paid a year
in advance in order to fit a voter for
suffrage. This omission is somewhat
singular in view Of the fact that the
State Constitution referred the matter
specifically to the Legislature to be
chosen at the next election. providing
(Article 1881: This section (provid-
ing for the prepayment Of the poll
taxes shall not go into effect unit
after the general State election to b.
| held in the year 1900: and the LegiSla-
ture elected in the year 1905 shall have
authority to repeal Or modify the
same In other words, the Consti-
tutional Convention left to the Gen
eral Assembly sOon to be chosen the
repeal or amendment of our poll tax
system, taking the view that the eight
years. 1860 to 1908, during which it
would be tested would determine
whether it worked well Or not. and
what changes and improvements, If
any, were needed on it. The article
was, OF course, subject to repeal by a
constitutional amendment, and q late
Legislature became so impatient that
! the question was submitted to The
voters. The large majority against
repeating the poll tax requirement
was probably due to the popular be-
lief that there was no reason for a
change, although many persons un-
questiOnably voted that way on the
theory hat Article 1913 ought to be
carried out in it's true spirit, the en-
tire question having been relegated by
the Constitutional Convention to the
Legislature of 1908, which would have
ample time to discuss it from every
point of view and would be we'll equip
ped with information On the subject
the experience of Louisiana and OF
of other Southern States that have
tried the poll tax system.
In spite of this clearly expressed
opinion of the Constitutional COnven-
ton of 1898 that the mex Legislature
should take up this poll tax question,
, make 1t a permanent part of our suf'
frage system, improve and strengthen
: the law as it now stands or drOpthe pol
tax altogether, the candidates for the
I" General Assembly have general!
avoided the question. A large ma
jority of them have expressed no views
either way; and those that have spOk
en- out are about equally divided be
tween a continuance and a suspension
of the poll tax requirement for tn,
suffrage. 1t is evident, therefore
that the voters will have to consul
o those who wish to represent them il
n the Legislature and make known wha
their wishes are to Them.
h Do the voters want the poll tax pro
g vision continued Or not; and if con
y tinued, do they want any modification
h in the present law? A few years az
d there was a bitter feeling against tn
d law when it was found hat it ha
y changed the result in the city election
. and that a large proportion of citizen
in New Orleans and other parishe
were disfranchised because they ha
q failed to pay their poll taxes; but eve
% then the voters showed themselves or
posed to a change and voted down tn
constitutional amendment repealin
the law. They were able to see tha
n the fault lay, not width the law, bl
e with those careless and neglectful cit
u zens who lacked sufficient patriotism
;. or public spirit to equip themselve
e for the suffrage.
Since then, this public spirit ha
II been growing stronger. Last yea
IS there were nearly forty-five thousan
y poll taxes paid in the city, and the,
% is reason to expect ven better return
. for 1907; and what is true of New o.
:. leans is equally true of nearly a
Louisiana. The voters have learne
N to pay their polls, and are better cit
a. zens for learning this lesson, apprec
Of ate the suffrage better, recognize thei
n obligations and are prepared to d
their full duty. Why then abando
the system after we have through
81 succeeded in a~rouslng our citizens
= their duty to the State?
20 Mississippi, South Carolina, ALI
Of bama. all the States that have trie
In the poll tax, have gone through mue
lg the same experience. Voters gre
10 careless or lukewarm, failed to pa
IS up their polls in time and found Their
= selves in the same class as the negro
:, -without the right to vote. But
in all cases, as ip Louisiana, n or tv
ar experiences Of this kind disguised {
we'll thinking men, and after they hi
50 seen themselves held up to
s. encouraging misgovernment by the
'e- neglect and failure they attended
A