The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-03-18

Exceeding in political significance
and Importance any decision rendered
BY the Supreme Court In recent years.
the opinion handed down by Judge
buchanan on yesterday. holding that
citizen must personally pay his poll
taxes in order to qualify himself to
vote. thus striking at the very root of
what has been long regarded az a
great evil in Virginia elections, will
have wholesome and purifying effect
upon public affairs OF the State The
case was that of Tazewell ct ais. Va.
Herman. treasurer, from the Law and
Chancery Court of the city OF Norfolk.
1. seems that the plaintiffs requested
the defendant to post list containing
only the names OF those citizens who,
in qualifying themselves to vote in the
coming election, had personally paid
their poll taxes. This, Herman. The
city treasurer. declined to do, and the
plaintiffs petitioned the Judge of the
Law and Chancery Court for man
damus to compel the posting of such
a list Herman, through counsel. de-
INJURED, and the court sustained the
demurrer and dismissed the petition.
The case was appealed to the Supreme
Court. and there the Judgment OF the
lower court was reversed yesterday In
the able and exhaustive paper by
Judge Buchanan. in which all his coll
leagues concurred.
stop Corrupt Practice.
The effect of the decision Is to break
up the corrupt practice of the promis
cuous payment OF poll-taxes by party
manage and candidates for Office, and
to require all those who would qualify
themselves to vote to carry the money
and place 1t In the hands of the treas
urer themselves.
The custom heretofore INDUCED IN
by politicians of getting lists of voters.
paying their poll-taxes in great num-
BERG and then mailing or handing out
the receipts was looked upon as
vicious practice, breeding corruption IN
elections, but in the absence OF direct
opinion of the Supreme Court on the
subject, nearly all the treasurers held
that this was permissible. Indeed.
some OF the lower courts had SO de-
cided, as did the Law and Chancery
Court of Norfolk in the present case.
and this was the first time the matter
was ever taken up on appeal.
In Ninth District.
Perhaps the greatest abuses under
stitution arose in the Ninth Congress
sional District. where Democrats and
Republicans alike practically conduct
ed their. campaigns on the poil-tta "a ).
In advance of the election, or as soon
as the time for payment expired, how
the voting would go. They kept
record OF the number Of poll taxes they
paid, and knew, therefore, approxi-
mately how many votes they could
count upon Democratic leaders In
that section freely charged that the
Republicans raised corruption funds
by assessing Federal office holders, and
used the bulk of the money so raised
for poll-taX payment.
They will beat us this time" they
are ahead of us In the payment OF
poll taxes"
The evil was not confined. however,
to the Republican party. nor to the
-oBId sBM II 'uoNoos uI5lsSMnnos
ticed to a greater or less extent all
over the State. and was freely resorted
to In local option and other sharp mu-
nicipal and county contests.
What Court Says.
Persons may pay the poll taxes of
others under the decision of the court,
but in making UP their lists of quail
fed voters, the treasurers Of the yari-
Gus counties and cities are permitted
to Include only those who have paid
the tax in person.
Section IS, Article II. of the Consti-
tuition, provides that after the first
day of January, 1904. the treasurer of