The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-04-15
Abolish Regeneration ana the roir Tax

'""'iSh hcGistrntion ana the Poll Tax.
| 10 the Editor Of The Times Dispatch:
sir,EJust now great stress is laid
upon the neglect Of many citizens Ia
qualify themselves for voting bv nav
' ing inc requisite poll taI. ana urgent
almost pathetic-appcal is made 10
them TO qualify. failure to do So
virtually converting Richmond into :,
close corporation controlled by In.
city's own employees and their friends
The employees must qualify TO save
| thelr jobs. ana. from a certain esprit
ue corps, voting as :, body they easily
Ike regulars versus nilitia--controI
elections.
Such delinquency is very culpable.
put we have only ourselves TO blame.
on our own heads by laws OF our own
making and continued in force hy
pnndness 10 their evil effects. We
clainor. but clamor in vain. and will
continue TO clamor in vain so long as
our laws place Il handicap. even though
nmg nt' upon voting few pounds.
u race and, AZ certain points on the
great divide between Atlantic and Pa
enc oceans, slight impeachment. more
or Tess. would divert the streams
either TO The warm waters of the Gulf
or Mexico. where the hamingo naunts
IT'S brilliant piumage in the rays OF "A
pelican feeds its young from its own
bosom. or 10 the icy. waters OF Arctic
seas, where the seal, the walrus and
the polar bear hibernate through the
gloom of Arctic night.
And so il is with the franchise: place
q ShSht impedimcnt in its pathway
ana thousands will not take the little
trouble necessary TO remove the i'm =
pedimcnt, and thus deprive themselves
OF voice in the affairs OF the city. or.
worse. leave public affairs in the hand $
OF politicians, whose motto is L'etat
c'es; moi.
Such delinquency IS. Of course. very
reprehensible. hut. nevertheless. such
Is the effect of any handicap placed on
the exercise Of Suffrage, and such de-
linqucncy viii continue until the right
to vote is as free as the air we
Common sense does not place inpedi-
ments upon the accomplishment Of de-
siiiEns; put removes them, however
mon sense by placing an obstacle upon
me right to vote. which. though really
slight. is great enough 10 deter thou
vote. and. so far as Xxi almond liz CON
cerned, converting her ii is believed
into close corporation. controlled by
her cmploycs-an Actaeon dcvourcd. SO
TO sneak. by his own dogs.
This impeachment is the requirement
OF the payment OF - petty poll tax
which yields a revenue utterly disap-
proportionatc TO the injury it causes
depriving citizen Of his political birth
dollar and nifty cents-th thereby turn
ing government over 10 ax-catcrs in
stead a, Of to taxpage.rs.
taxes. is the reply. and "a poll tax is
the only method Of making thousands
contribute TO the support Of govern
ment True; but TO make delinquents
contribute under penalty of depriva-
ton of political birthripht is a price
far TOO great 10 demand Far better
abolish the poll tax, and thus enlist
the interest OF otherwise good citizens
in public affairs. The revenue from
poll taxes is no longer needed. for the
streams poured into the Treasury of
the state through the Corporation
Commission. Though double tJxatom
of mortgages and through recotdation
of deeds of trust, render the poll tax
unnecessary. a short time ago the
writer paid the State S54S5 for simply
recording n deed of trust.
If we wish to get out the full cleo
tora,e abolish the poll tax, and we
shall get IT, If we will not abolish
il. then let us shut up and cease be-
moaning the Indifference or electors.
And, by the way. registration is n
useless. but expensive device and
should be abolished along with poli
taxes; il is absolutely Unnecessary. i'm
~ community like ours. to prevent
fraudulent voting. - costs tens of
thousands. and the only good it does
is 10 put Il few dollars. now and then
into the pockets OF registration ON
Gals and employees. CiVIS