Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1916-03-10

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of the striking features of the new
registration law, which is no doubt
the most iniQuituous law of its char
acter ever enacted in any state. and
this i'm spite of the modifying amend
ment conceded 10y its supporters as
a result of the vigorous fight which
was made against the bill
Precinct Registrar supreme.
"Of course you have already seen
mentioned in the press of the highly
, centralized registration machinery
provided for 10y this act and that the
law provides no practical check on
election officers who choose to arhi-
trarily diSfranchse voters by cvad-
ing them or by refusing to register
them.
'It is true that apparently rem
edy was provided for the aggrioved
voter. Under the statute, If a regis
trar refuses to register a man with
out having any motive for il other
than that the applicant is an indie
pendent Democrat, or Socialist, or Il
Republican, the aggrieVed voter may
appeal to the district court and from
the district court to the supreme
court But as you know, most of the
/ tItlHciS bl llllS Slhlt van III illpi "a "
bear the cost of such litigation.
every registrar who has any re-
gard for the opinion of the commun-
ity will promptly and publicly an
nounce where he can be found during
the registration period. However, the
law does not require the registrar to
! have an office or to be at any spe-
cific place.
Permanently Disfranchiscd.
Some people have a mistaken idea
| that any qualified elector who fails
to register this year may register in
| some future election year That is
| not the case, as, under the universal
registration law, only those who be-
come qualified electors in any pre-
cinct after May 10 Of this year. may
register at a future time. Every
| elector who failed to vote in Novem-
Der, 1914. in the precinct in which
| he now resides, must. in order TO
avoid being permanently disfran-
| chised, look up the precinct registrar
during the first ten days of next May
and secure "a certificate of registra
ton.
Find the Registrar!
There is provision in the law
that, after May 10 and up to June 80,
! 1915, the precinct registrar may reg
lister any person as to whom 'he be
satisfied that such person was absent
| from the county or was prevented
from registering by sickness or un-
avoidable misfortune" But every
prudent man will take no chances
| but will start out bright and early
| on the morning of May first to look
| for the registrar, unless serious i'll
| ness makes this absolutely impossible
ut is expected that the precinct
registrars will not be appointed until
some time in April. Immediately
| upon the appointment of the county
| registrars the state committee will
notify each county chairman of the
name of the registrar for his county.
| 1t will then be incumbent on the Re
| publican county committee to ascer-
tain from the county registrar the
names of the precinct registrars ap-
pointed by him, together with their
! location; and to see to it that the
public is promptly informed of the
same.
No Litcracy Test in May.
"It seems that many people are
under the impression that the literacy
! test amendment passed by the legis-
! lature is now in fun force and effect.
| That is not the case. The universal
registration law is statute and as
| such is now in force. AS to the liter
! acy test provision, the legislature
| held that it can be made effective
| only in the form of a constitutional
amendment and as such it must be
ratified by vote of the people be-
fore ii can take effect 1t is to be
voted upon at the August primary.
| Meanwhile ii is imperative. There
fore, when a man applies for registra-
| ton, during the first ten days of next
| May. ii will not be legal for the reg
| istrar to raise the question of whether
! the elector can read and write or not.
Test Affects Everybody.
However, if the legislatures con-
stitutional amendment providing for
| a literacy test, is ratified by the peo-
pie at the August primary, then. un-
| der section l6 of the registration law,
a second registration is made. BY
! reading this section in conjunction
with the proposed iteracy test
amendment, it appears that it may be
! contended in that event, that no one
| will thereafter be allowed to vote in
the state of oklahoma, unless, dur
ing a limited period of ten days dur
ing next September. he gives a dem
onstration of his ability to read and
write to the satisfaction of the regis
! trar, or proves that he is a soldier or
! the lawful descendent of soldier.
| The nature of the proof required
seems to be left to the discretion of
the registrar. The registrar is not
| required to be able to read and write.
"lf the literacy test amendment is
passed, then the above showing of
| qualification may be required of
| every citizen. regardless of whether
the citizen voted in November, 1914,
| or not
| THE universal registration law
| does not expressly repeal the present
| city registration law. 1t is possible,
| therefore, that it may be contended
| that electors residing in cities, in ad-
dition to securing certificates of reg
] istration during the first ten days of
| May, 1916, from the registrar, must
! also register with the precinct in
spectors next July, and every two
| years thereafter.
"As one of the Democratic men,
| bers of the legislature has said, it
seems that every time one reads this
law one discovers some new vicious
| feature.
The Republican state committee is