The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1910-06-29

performed by friend, neighbor or
agent of the voter, except in cities
OF more than 10000 population,
where it must be in person, while in
Georgia two specific acts are required
and one of these must, without ex-
ception, be performed by the voter
in person.
1t is constitutional requirement
that all taxes must be paid six months
before the election in order that the
voter may be qualified to exercise
the franchise. Is not this a suffi-
GENTLY drastic requirement, is it not
IN itself an adequate safeguard
against padding" without the addi-
tional prerequisite that the voter
must go in person to the tax collect
or's office, at least six months before
the election, and sign the voters list,
without recourse in case of sickness,
business necessity, absence from the
state or even eXcuSable negligence
prevents him from so doing? Should
not the payment of taxes six months
in advance of the election in itself
be indicative of the voters integrity,
in itself indicate that he is no ''venal
voter" no "hobo," no Immigrant"
but a good citizen?
In no other state of the Union
are such multiplied impediments
placed upon the exercise of the most
sacred right of the free citizen.
Finally, as proving that the pres
ent registration law has inflicted a
blow to the white electorate of Geor-
gia which is truly appalling in it's
magnitude, | call attention to the
fact that the federal census of 1900,
after deducting the non-naturalized
foreigners, showed there were in this
state 274,797 white males 21 years
of age and upward.
If during the past decade the pop
ulation has increased proportionate-
ly as rapidly as it did during the
previous one, viz: 20 per cent, we
can estimate the present number of
white males of voting age in Georgia
at 329,576.
The reports of the registration in
the state under the present law, as
published in the daily press, indicate
that there are now registered about
| 4 ,UUO WHITE voters.
Hence, by the operation of this
law in effect, even after making lib
eral allowance for those made perma-
nently ineligible by the constitution,
it appears that upwards of 100000
white citizens are debamed from the
right to vote in the elections of this
year. The restrictions placed in the
reconstruction constitution of 1868
did not by many thousands so re-
strict the right of suffrage to the
white citizens of Georgia.
1T is superfluous to argue that
there are not 100000 'venal voters,
'hoboes, 'ward-heelers' and other OBJ
jectionables among the white citi-
zenry of Georgia, as those who con-
tend for existing restrictions would
by inference intimate In several
counties where the effect has been
most glazing in depriving white citi-
zens of the constitutional right to
! vote negroes sufficient in number to
easily hold the balance of power in
case of a close division of the whites
have qualified.
Il hold that the white citizenry of
Georgia is honest, intelligent and re-
sponsible, and that each unit of it
should have available the power to
protect his rights by the freeman's
weapon, the ballot.
Il, therefore recommend that the
limit between the close of the regis
tration books and the date of cleo
lions be reduced to thirty days.
THE ends of good government de-
mand that the person who makes
venal use of the franchise shall be
denied the privilege of voting, but
! because he is per Sc a voter is no
ground upon which to base a sus-
| piCiOn of venality. The law should
be aimed at the criminal and not at
| the honest man. 1t is not fair to dis
franchise possibly fifty good citizens
| in order to catch one venal voter,
1t will, l believe, be admitted that
those voters, excepting negroes, at
whom stringent regulations are
aimed, will be found almost exclu-
sively in the cities. Not that the citi-
zenry of our municipalities is not of
a high order, but owing to the thick
population election evils may be more
easily perpetrated in them than in
rural communities. I make the sug-
gestion, therefore, that if discrimina-
ton is to be made it be in favor of
rather than against the rural voters;
that if we must have severe restric-
lions they be placed upon the cities
alone. Reference to memoranda
given above will show that in many
states that are noted for their pro-
gressive legislation with regard to
the ballot no registration is required
in purely rural communities.
'If registration should be required
in rural communities, better pro-