The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1911-04-14
WHITES WHO CAN'T VOTE

A ISSISSIPPIANS have been startled at the very large number
Nl of tax delinquents, who, under the constitution, are barred
can vote who is not a qualified elector. To be a qualified elector one
must have paid all taxes legally assessed against him, on or before
the first day of February, for the two years last past. before the
election at which he offers to vote.
The chief deinqucnts in the matter of tax payments within the
constitutional period are the poll tax de'inquents' The number OF
white poll tax delinquents in Mississippi are estimated at from
a 1000 to 10000. Unfortunately for the State, the law against delin-
ouent voting in primary and other elections. in a large number OF
counties o. the State have been fagrantly disregarded in the past.
This in the face of the fact that there is a fine of $500 and a
penalty OF six months Imprisonment for any man to vote n a
primary election who has failed to pay his poll tax as prescribed by
the constitution. SO glaring, indeed, has become this abuse that
the State is threatened, unless it is speedily abated' with a govern
ment by the non taxed or rather by those who fail or refuse to pay
this poll tax. and yet who have heretofore participated in the pnm.
aries and nunihed the votes of men who pay their poll taxes and
thus contribute to the education of the youth of the State, while
those who do not pay their poll taxes not only profit by the educa-
ton of their children o the taxes paid by the qualified electors,
whose votes they kill in the primary, but by failure to pay their
poll tax, shorten the terms of the public schools, thus robbng the
children of the men who do pay their poll tax in the matter OF
shorter school terms, while their own children benefit by these
school terms as long as they last.
Many a good man has overlooked the payment OF his taxes in
time to qualify him to vote, and is very much chagr'ned when he
makes the discovery, bat this is his misfortune. 1t is the hab'tual
poll tax delinquent who seems to be shameless in the matter o
doing his duty as a citizen.
It is understood that the county attorney and the county com.
missioners expect and intend to do their full duty touching the
purging of the poll books of the names of all persons improperly
thereon. 1t is a n unbeatable offense for county election commits
sioners to allow the name on the poll books, which are sent out t.
the primary election officers, of any person who is not a qual'1es
voter.
No man can vote in primary election whose name is not on TIL
poll books, made up and sent out by the county election commits
sioners. The way to determine who ar the deinquents is for tn
county election commissioners TO take the county tax collector
stub-books for the years 1909 and 1910, the two years last past
and see who have failed to pay their poll and other taxes on o
before the first day of February for those years. When they hav
completed this let them take the city tax collectors stub-books TO
the same years and fix them likewise. If any county commissions
should prove recreant to his trust, the county attorney, sworn t
see all the laws enforced, may promptly return him to the gran
jury.
1t is not a question of politics. it S not a question of whethe
a man is for Percy, Vardaman or ALEXANDER, II is a CONSTITUTIONS
mandate, and the constitution is the supreme law OF the land.
Patriotic Mississipians assembled in constitutional conventio