The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-02-23
PEOPLE Of STATE ARE
DEEPLY STIRRED On.
NEIGHDORs SAYS
Continued from First Page.l


Continued from First Pagel
frequently and heartily applauded. HI
said:
The last C. Institutional convention
in dealing with the question OF sui
frage confronted difficult situation
IL endeaVored to confer the right Of
suffrage on all white men and to deny
| II to all except the most intelligent
OF the negroes. In their way stood
the fifteenth amendment and the con
seQuent danger of Interference by the
Federal courts. After much discussion
the convention provided for two reg
! istrations, The first registration was
TO be made In 1899 and 1908 and those
eligible for that registration We're;
! I) Veterans and sons OF veterans
| (e) Persons paying State taxes OF al
/ least a dollar year.
! (s} Persons able to read or explain
sections % the constitution.
| This registration became a perna-
nent record, and persons then en-
rolled are not required to register
again.
The second registration law took
effect IN 1909, and is the permanent
| registration law OF the State. as pro-
vided IN section 20 OF the constitu-
ton.
Under this registration the require
| ments, after providing for the pay
ment Of a poll tax, are:
Second. That unless physically I'M
able he make application to register
In his own handwriting. without aid
suggestion or memorandum, in the
presence Of the registration officers,
stating therein his name, age, date
and place of birth, residence and &C.
cupation at the time and for the two
years next preceding, and whether he
has previously voted. and. If so, the
State. county and precinct In which
he voted last: and.
Third. That he answer on oath
any and all questions affecting his
qualifications as an elector, submit
ted 10 him by the officers OF registra-
ton. whish questions. and his an
swers thereto shall be reduced to
writing, certified by the said officers
and preserved as part OF their Of
| ticial records"
The actual registration is done bS
the various registrars. Of whom there
are 1850 In the counties and ITO ir
| the cities.
How to Purge Polls.
Section Is of the constitution re.
| quires the General Assembly 10 pro.
vide an appeal for any one denied
registration. but is silent as to al
| appeal on the refusal of a registrar
to strike off the list a person alleged
To be illegally registered. The Gen
eral Assembly of l9O2-1903-1904 obey
ed this mandate by enacting section
ssA Of the Code, but at the sam,
. l..1 "A yt.ia ~
gave the right of appeal upon th'
refusal of q registrar TO strike
name from the list
The only provision for purging tn
books Of Illegal registrations is fount
in section 80 of the Code. This sec
ton provides that any five qualities
voters of any election district ma.
fifteen days previous to either of tn
regular days for registration post tn
names OF persons claimed to be lille
gally registered. Whereupon on tn
regular day OF registration the regis
trar shall hear evidence for an
against the right OF the persons pos,
ed TO register. II the registrar dc
cides that person should be stxicl
en- OFF, SUI IN a person has an apes
to the courts. II. on the other han,
the Registrar refuses to strike Of
there is no appeal and the act OF tn
registrar cannot be questioned.
There are two regular registratio
days in the year. the third Tuesday 1
May and The day that IL thirty day
before the November election.
Difficulties I'm the Way.
The difficulties in the way of purs
. ing the books OF Illegal voters ar
these.
G) The l.4e0 registrars cannot /
4
strike of name. and there is n
way of compelling them, no matte
how fragrant the defiance of law.
CD Thare is no way at all Of ge
ting rid OF the names Improperly pt
on the registration books after figtee
, days before the regular registratio
day in May until the next reguls
registration day before the Novembs
election. 81 ouId any election occt
between those dates there ts no leg,
"THnetired of purging the list. Thei
is no way 81 getting rid of the nam,
put improperly on the books fro
fifteen days before the registratio
! day before the November election uI
til the next regular registration ds
in the following May.
ts) An obstinate registrar can at
) has made 1t very difficult 10 see
| books at all.
In Local Option Contests
All these difficulties apply vii
great force to- any attempt to purs
tho lists for any general election. b
the snrsak-down Of the law Is niue
more fragrant in the case of a loo
= option election which cannot be nc
within thirty days of a regular ele
t ton.
Suppose, for instance, q local OF
: ton election Is held in the early pa
: OF May. nobody put on the registri
} ton books since fifteen days befol
the last November regular registr;
ton day could be stricken off.
? II the local option election waa>he
In July or August no names cou
, be removed which were placed the
/ after fifteen days before the regult
registration day in May. 1t follow
that the electorate at any local OF
ton election may be debauched
the will OF any INSCRIPTIONS regi
trar.
That the law has been violated
numerous instances, sometimes car,
lessly. sometimes designedly. cannt
be doubted.
/, There IL very grave danger that ur
less the General Assembly enacts RI
medal Legislation, by virtue of whic
; the voting lists can be purified an
kept pure, the electorate will degene
rate into a plight worse than befor
the new Constitution. Prior to tn
present Constitution. any elector coul
challenge the right of any person I
registration, and II the registrar de
. clded against his challenge he ha
! the right of appeal.
| Nprss NSrrpnS Ragistarss1