Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1913-02-23
DEMOCRATS GET
N Bid lGAIN
EILL PASSED REQUIRING PAY
MENT OF POLL TAX BEFORE
MAN C\N VOTE.
OWN members OPPOSED
Can II miquitous Measure and Claim
II VIII Kill the Party
Forever.
(BY j. \. MkliIINCRD
(Staf CorrespondentD

OKLAHOMA CITY. Feb. 22.-(Spc-
cial.) Fearing an adverse decision
from the United state supreme court
on the grandfather clause, the demo-
Gratis of the house today took further
steps to disfrgnchise the negro voters
when they suspended the rules ana
finally passed caucus bill making the
payment of a poll tax of $50 an ad-
ditional qualification Of legal voter
in Oklahoma The bill caused the bit
torest political storm that has occurred
in the house this session and many
democrats Joined with the republicans
In voicing their disapproval and voting
against the bitter partIsanshlp of tho
democratic majority.
The bill provides for poll tax OF
$3.50 to be paid between the first on
January and the first Of March the
money to go to the common soho~
fund. The election inspectors arc
made the collectors of this tax and are
allowed Is per cent commission
Receipt TO Vote.
The measure also requires that a
receipt for the poll tax must he pre-
sented to the election inspectors be
fore any one is allowed to vote.
The bill itself had never been intro
duced in the house until this afternoon
when II was made a substitute for q
similar bill by Hunter. The democrats
caucused on the bill this morning, but
many democrats refused to go into tn"
caucus
The democratic machine worked
like clock work in passing the bill and
every amendment offered was voted
down, while the members initiated a
steam roller.
Vosburg, the republican floor leader,
opened the debate, declaring that hun.
dreds of white men would be disfran
chised by this act Partisan legisla-
ton like this he declared, will give
ycu temporary advantage but in the
end it will destroy you. There never
has been attempted in any Legislature
more iniquitious measure than this
Democrat Against II.
Representative H. II. Smith. demo-
crat, vigorously opposed the bill for
two reasons he said. Because 1t was
I'M American and because 1t would in
jurc the democratic party"
II speak in favor Of the right OF
every man." he said. "to cast his vote
freely. ! refused to go into the eau.
cus. because my Idea Of good govern
ment was against this bill. | have
seen my party go down in defeat for
enacting such legislation as this. I
have been told | was making a polit-
ical mistake, but when I think ! am
right. I don't caret what the future
has in store for me. am proud to
write my name against this bill. Ma
jorities can be wiped out in mistakes
Of an hour and | warn YOU that you
are new wipng out the majority Of
the democratic party in this state. ."
Farrell. of Pottawatomie county, a
democrat. also vigorously opposed the
bill and declared It meant the defeat
of the democratic party In 1914.
FISHERMAN, republican. declared the
bill simply meant erecting a monu-
ment to the downfall of the demo-
cratic party and Curry of Tulsa, al
though he said he had been "hog tiled"
in the caucus and was opposed to the
bill. said he would have to vote for il.
Howell. Smith. Ashby, Tener. Tee
hee and Hill, all democrats. defended
the measure, but Brown Of Grady. n
democrat. registered a protest against
1t. veatch. democrat, declared that
he agreed with Governor Cole Blease.
OF South Carolina, when he said: ITO
hell with the constitution" when II