Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-08-16
PRESERVE THE REGISTRATION
Law FOR THE PEOPLES GOOD

ton law will be defeated in the House. This meas
would weaken if indeed it would not Destroy
one the useful and salutary statutes Georgia
has ever known; and this it would do without reason
or benefit 1t would gain the people nothing, but 1t
would lose them much.
This bill purposes TO change the time for closing
the registration books from six months before the
general election to thirty days before the primary
Its advocates contend that this is in order
to give the voters ample time for registering. A
glance at the provisions of the existing law will
show that this claim is without merit.
For as the law now stands, every citizen has
full half year in which to register The registration
books are opened in the autumn concurrently with
the tax books, and they remain open until six
months before the general election, which comes the
following October. Let this fact be clearly under
stood the registration books do nor close SIR months
before the primary but sic months before the cleo
lion What more abundant opportunity for regstra-
ton could be desired?
man may thus register at the same time that
lie pays his taxes, or at any other time between
October and April 1t should be noted in this con-
nection that he must pay his tares SiT months be-
fore the general election in order to cote The law
concerning registration is, therefore, strin-
gent than that concerning the payment of taxes 1t
would be just as logical to abolish the one as the
other It is just as easy to register to pay taxes
six months before the election.
What is the purpose of registration? 1t is to
make our primaries honest and fair by eliminating
the illegal and purchasable vote in order that the
true citizens ballot may have due power 1t is to
protect our polls from that floating and venal
element which, if unhindered, can overflow a
primary and often defeat the peoples will
without registration law, the honest mans bal
lot would have little or no safeguard against that or
the political mercenary. The tramp who makes
trade of going from city to city and from state to
state sell his VOTE who has place of residence,
who is indeed, man without a country and with
out conscience-such a person would have as decis-
i've voice in public affairs as the real Georgian
were it not for an adequate registration law
The law cannot be adequate if it leaves only
thirty days between the closing of the books and the
holding of the primary Our primary for governor,
for state house officers and for members of the
legislature takes place about sixty days before the
general election The registrars should have ample
time in which to sft and test the registration lists
challenge any questionable registration and give the
person so challenged full opportunity to be heard
The present law leaves only about two months
between the time when the work Of the registrars
is finished and the day of the primary Many of the
county primaries, it should be remembered, take
place before the statewide primary that in these
instances the registration lists scarcely purged
evident that the provision requiring the registration
books to close six months before the general election
is in no wise excessive regards the length of time
it leaves between the purgng of the lists and the
occurrence of the primaries.
There is but change necessary to perfect the
present law and that should be an amendment to
make the citizens registration permanent so that
after he has once properly registered he shall only
have to pay his due taxes from year to year in order
to be qualified 70 vote. Such amendment would
remove any inconvenience that may arise from the
statute as il now stands, and at the same time it
would leave the spirit of the law the same and the
efncacy of the law unweakened. Such an amend
ment would serve every rghtful purpose which the
Senate bill may have had in view, and it would do
so without sacrificing the alimportant principle of
pure elections.
IN Georgia the white Democratic primary is
equivalent to an election Unless it is pure and fair
we cannot expect our government to be honest and
just. s.i - ~ -''. r.
The ballot box is, after ALL the source of govern
ment; let us, therefore, keep it untainted.
A citizens vote is a vitality important possession;
let him. therefore guard it, as the title to his free
dom and mis- rights Let him to it that it is not
vitiated by the hreng ballot of creature who has
no regard for the common interests 81.
The registration law should be preserved as it
stands because it the citizens assurance that
his vote will count for what it is really worth. and
because it is the publics bulwark against bribery
and fraud ttt,>l-.. a--.. 80 ..,.is-
To weaken this law, tlAe Senate bill purposes,
would invite return of those disgraceful conditions
which the state has cast aside. 1t would rob the
individual citizen and the people as whole Of one
Of the priceless guarantees of their suffrage rights
The measure passed the Senate by a bare
plurality. IS
It should be killed in the House by an over
whelmng majority. .
1t is not supported by public sentiment -
It is not justified either by wisdom or expediency.
Il is full of folly and danger. 2 f.. .... 81.
The representatives of the people should repu-
diate it. s,-... $50
We've seen cotton take tumble in August be-