The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-05-14
WORK REGISTRARS
BOOKS WILL BE OPENED IN ALI M COUNTIES.
Under New Law They VIII Be opened for Hexfstraffon of Those Who are Entitled to Regfs-
 trnffon. ss

In the court houses of all counties in the State, the Boards of Registrars will be in- session Friday and Saturday. They will register thousands of voters who wish to qualify for the primary election next Monday.
 Many officers and candidates are speculating on the probable attitude of the registrars in the different coun- ties. This is the first time throughout the State that the Boards of Registrars have been compelled to sit on Friday and a Saturday next preceding a gem eral primary. Before the extra ses- sion of the Legislature last November the Boards. sat, in special sessions on Fridays and Saturdays next proceeding leach general or municipal election" but not before the primaries, to rexfs- ter those who were not able to register in the stated period prior to October i.
 It is predicted in some circles that there will be strict observance of the law by the registrars in their enroll ment Friday and Saturday of voters The law Is rather specific in naming those who are qualified to get their certificates at the special sittings. As that only those who were disabled be- tween July and october l last. are. allowed to register. so 1t is provided in the two days prior to the primary.
 Some time. ago Attorney General Garber rendered an opinion setting forth his interpretation of the law reg ulating the registration on such days IS Friday and Saturday. He advised Jeferson County registrars in accord ance with the law. This goes on to describe the class of eligibles who shall be registered on these occasions as follows: l.All applicants having the qualifications of an elector, who shall .have reached the age of 21 years since the date of the last registration, or who shall prove to the reasonable satisfac- tion of tn e Board that by reason of the physical disability of himself or sick ness ssduring the period when the Board of Registrars were registering the voters in the precinct where the appli- cant resided. in his family or unavoid- able inability to attend the registration at other times. or by reason of ab- sence from the county. he had no op- portunity to oregister prior to said time"
 This same section further declares: And they shall not on such days reg ister any, other persons.
 The Attorney General said yesterday that he had been flooded with individual inquiries from prospective voters, ask ing if they could register Friday Of Saturday. The Attorney-General of course. is required to answer and rem der, opinions only to officers of the State Government. He has not, there fore. been able to reply to such indi- vidual queries, but in many instances has simply called attention to his opin- ion rendered to the registrars of Jeff ferson County. who wanted a guide for the municipal primary in Birmingham as well as for the general primary to take place Monday. s :.
 sIntthis. opinion, the Attorney General advised adherence to- the law It is not time Friday, and Saturday for general registration of all corners. True, there is a good deal of discretion left to- the. registrars as ito whether man Is qualified. to register, but the proof must be made that such applicants did causes, to register at the last regular
 Tn spitesof the recent discussions of this law and the rulingtof the Attorrey- General, however, the general impress sion seems to prevail. that everybody has chance to register Friday and Saturday if they are generally. qualified. It is said. too, that there will be no objections by the Boards This open disposition of the registrars was dem onstrated during the special sessions of the Board Just prior to the Mont gomery, city primary. There were over a thousand voters who registered on this occasion. though it is a matter of common knowledge that it is inlpos- sfble that so many persons were dis abled in Montgomery at the same time in Montgomery, or were just bordering on 21 years of age or were absent from the county. 4