The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1915-02-04
MANY MUNICIPAL
| VOTERS MAY LOSE
THEIR FRANCHISE
FAILED TO PAY CITY TAXES At
TIME REQUIRED BY
THE LAW.
WENT BY RULING OF
ATTORNEY GENERAL
Hattiesburg Legal Experts Believe
Collins Interpretation That Taxes
to City Government Not Necessary
To Vote, Is Contrary to Letter and
Spirit OF Law.

The late ruling of Attorney General
Collins to the effect that payment of
municipal taxes on or before February
l Of each year is not prerequisite for
voting in county and state elections
provided the voters debt to the county
and state has been wiped out and a
receipt for the same held, promises
to cause no little argument during the
coming elections, and, in all probable
ity, the Mississippi Supreme Court
will be called upon for ruling before
some of the victorious candidates are
inducted into office.
Already, Forrest county voters hav.
ing legal trend of mind. are predict.
ing that one or more offices will be
spiritedly contested when the ballot
boxes are closed and the votes count
ed next August. 1t is maintained that
as the coda under which the elections
are held specifically states that all
legally assessed taxes due by each and
every voter, must be paid ION or be,
fore February l" of each year, before
that tax payer will be permitted h
participate in any election.
Attorney Generals Ruling.
Laboring under the ruling of the
attorney general that it is not nee.
essary for municipal taxes to be paid
by that day, but that any time up to
and including the day of the ballot is
to be cast is sufficient, many Hatties.
burg residents failed to pay their cor
portian taxes on or before last Mon
day.
Under the ruling of the attorney
general they will be entitled to vote
Men prominent in Forrest county
legal and political affairs. today de
clared such votes would be illegal.
An authority on the voting laws oI
the state, had this comment to make
today:
"The attorney general is the legal
adviser of the state. His decisions
are not binding, however. The attor
ney general cannot overrule the laws
made by the legislature, or upset the
code by merely giving his opinion
The voting laws are specific as re.
CARDS the payment of taxes. I do not
believe taht Mr.. Collins interpreta.
tion will hold in any court fear that
his opinion already has resulted in
the reimbursement in Hattiesburg
and other municipalities of the state,
of numerous erstwhile voters.
Test Cases To Be Brought.
''It is a known fact that test cases
will be brought at the end of the com.
ing election. l do not believe that any
attempt will be made to prevent the
delinquents from casting their ballots
What will be done, however, is this:
A careful tab will be kept on such
voters, and in one or more offices, con.
tests will be made whenever the van
quished thinks he has chance to win
cut. This list of delinquents will be
presented, and it is more than likely
that their votes will be thrown out.
1t may result in complete reversal
of the figures"
The number of delinquent city tax
payers has not been estimated yet. 1t
is not large, the officials say. In 9th.
ef municipalities of Mississippi, how
ever, hundreds did not pay their taxes
by the required time, thinking thai
after paying poll and property take
to the county. that was all that was
required of them.