Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1909-02-11
THURSDAY. FEBRUARY IL. 1909.
WE TOLD YOU SO.

WE TOLD YOU SO.
when the present suffrage and regis
tration laws were put in operation by
the making of a new constitution for
Virginia it was announced that the Dur
pose was to disfranchise and disqualify
the negro voters in Eastern Virginia.
Perhaps some of our readers NAV re-
call the fact that we then predicted.
that before great while the local ma
chine politicians in the counties that
constitute what is known as the ''Black
Belt" would be putting negro voters on
the registration lists to be used for the
benefit of the candidates of these local
politicians. The recent and present
discussion of the poll tax question by
Democratic papers has brought out
facts that verify the prediction we
made more than six years ago.
The Portsmouth Star has been advo-
eating repeal of the poll tax qualifica-
ton for voting. And, in answering the
objection that the repeal might possibly
enable great many negro voters to get
back on the voting lists, the Star says:
There is provision now in the cleo
ton machinery of the constitution that.
II enforced, would prevent the registra-
ton Of negroes in the bulk-the pro-
vision that the applicant to register
shall make application in his own hand
writing, without aid or suggestion, stat
ing therein his name, age, date and
place of birth, etc.
This conclusion OF the Star is not only
reasonable but true, if the provision is
rigidly and honestly enforced. Its en-
forcement would not only exclude illit
crate negroes but ilIiterate white men
from the voting lists. But here comes
the Houston Record-A pub-
Ished at the county seat of Halifax
county, and tells tale that is WORTHY
OF attention. The Record-Advertiser
says:
GO and take look at your registra-
tion books and see how many persons
(all colored) you will find on them that
could not possibly have gotten on if they
had been left to write their own appIi
cation as laid down in the election law.
We have been told that colored people
have been registered in Halifax who
could not write their applications, as re-
CURED by law"
Now, who have been violating the reg
istration laws in Halifax and, perhaps.
other counties, by registering iIliterate
and disqualified negroes? Democratic
registrars. What for? To use the ne
gro voters by purchase or otherwise for
their Democratic candidates.
When the late Constitutional Conven-
ton was in session we happened on a
certain occasion to be in the hall where
the convention was sitting. A distin-
guished Democratic member told us of
an amusing occurrence. He said local
Democratic politician from one of the
Southside counties had come to Rich
mond to protest against the wholesale
Acknowledgement of the negroes. In
making his protests, the local politician
said: 81 know how to vote niger"
if his name is on the registration books;
/ know how to vote niger" even if
his name is not on the books and he has
not been disfranchised; know how to
vote "nigger" if he is registered and
is away from home or is dead on cleo
ton day, but IN be id if know how
/ can vote a disfranchised "nigger."
Boys, you must not do it. 1t will ruin
us in our country"
That fellow was in earnest. The facts,
as related by the Houston Record-Ad-
vertiser, show that he and some of his
kind are still alive in the Eastern por-
ton of the State.