Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1908-08-13
A STRANGE EXPLANATION.

Ever since the new constitution was
put in force the Virginia Democrats
have been striving to give some reason
able explanation of the intricacies
and vices of the new suffrage laws.
The most vicious provision in these
laws is the one which requires the pre-
payment of poll tax as a prerequisite
to voting. The first excuse offered was.
that the law was made from purely
beneficent spirit, for the purpose of
raising additional revenue for the pub
lie free schools. This was followed bv
an avowal that the object of the law
was to purge the electorate by disfran-
chising the ignorant and venal elements.
The real purpose. however, of the poll
tax qualification for voting was to dis
franchise Republicans, both white and
colored, and thereby stem the growing
tide of Republicanism in the State. es-
pecially In the white districts. The
narrow partisans who framed these
laws arrogantly believed that the Dem
ocrats of Virginia were so superior in
virtue, wealth, intelligence and patriot
ism that they all would submit to the
Inconvenience and burdens which this
law imposes; and that they would
promptly and cheerfully pay their poll
taxes, while Republicans would not.
The very reverse of what had been
planned and expected came as a result
of the poll tax qualification for voting.
In the Eastern part of the state more
than one-haf of the white voters have
been disqualified by failure or refusal to
pay their poll taxes within the pre-
scribed time. Another shock was given
this scheme for destroying Republican
votes when it was found that rival fac
tons in the Democratic party were
making use of the poll tax qualification
to control the venal voters of their
party. 1t was also found that, though
protesting against the placing of such a
barrier between the voter and the ballot
box, Republicans were generally paying
their poll taxes and qualifying them
selves to vote. Then, the Democrats
began to search for some avenue of es-
cape from the awkward and dangerous
situation. In their hunt for relief thew
stumbled upon the idea of having the
provision in the constitution which SAYS
that the voter shall personally" pay
his poll taxes to the treasurer con-
strued by the courts to mean, that he
shall pay the tax in physical person.
Proceedings were started in one of the
courts of Norfolk city for that purpose.
After decision was given in that court
the case was taken to the Supreme
Court of Appeals and at its last term in
Richmond it rendered an opinion which
left the question still unsettled. At its
recent term at Wytheville the Court of
Appeals refused to grant rehearing in
the case. Thereupon another proceed !
ing was begun, heard and determined in |
Judge Martins court at Norfolk. That |
judge decided that the voter must paw |
his poll tax in physical person. The
case will be again presented to the
Court of Appeals at its session next
month in Stanton, when the matter
will be finally settled by that court of
last resort.
In the meantime, the Hon. Carter
Glass, who was a member of the Con-
stitutional Convention and also a men,
Der of the suffrage committee, has
made public declaration that he wrote
the poll tax qualification clause in the
He also says that it was
not the intention of the clause to make
the voter pay his poll tax in physical
person.
The editor of the Norfolk virginian-
Pilot was also a member of the Consti-