The Rice belt journal., 1921-07-23
WOMEN MUST HAVE
POLL TAX To VOTE
Ruling of Constitutional Convention
Requires 1920 Receipt as Well
as 1921.
Lake Charles American Press:

Lake Charles American-Press
Doubtless women who are planning
to vote in elections Of 1921 and 1922
we're pleased with the action of the re-
cent constitutional convention, telling
them definitely whether or not they
must have their 1920 poll tax receipts
before they can vote and at the same
time provided legal remedy for Sc
curing 1920 poll tax which they
omitted to pay in that year.
"This definite decision by the con.
vention that women who wish to vote
hereafter must have two poll tax re.
ceipts" said U. A. Bell, Calcasieu's
delegate to the convention, was taken
to avoid any risks of our women being
disfranchised by test cases in the
federal courts. The attorney general
of Louisiana had ruled that women
did not have to hold 1920 poll taxes to
vote in 1921 or 1922. The attorney
general of Texas had ruled they must
have them. The convention was un.
willing to take any chances and pro-
vided that the two receipts were ne
cessary, but that the 1920 tax could
be secured at any time in 1921.
"The constitution relative to womer
and poll tax receipts as finally adopt.
ed, right at the close of the session, is
as follows:
"These provisions shall not apply
during the year 1921, to any person
who shall have paid tax for the year
1920 at any time prior to the date
of the election at which he offers to
vote in the year 1921; nor during the
year 1922, to any person who shall
have paid his poll taxes for the years
1920 and 1921 at any time before Jan
uary l, 1922"
Sam H. Jones, delegate to the con
vention from Beauregard parish, in
his home paper, the DeRidder Enter.
prise, Saturday, said:
Must Pay Poll Taxes.
Women must pay poll tax for the
year 1920 before they can be permit
ted to vote in elections of 1921 and
1922, but are permitted to pay the
1920 poll tax any time during this
year. This, in brief, is the action taken
by the constitutional convention tc
clear up the question of whether WON
en- were subject to poll tax.
Number Of women's organizations
urged the passage of this provision in
order that the status of women voters
might be made clear.
"a peculiar situation arises from
this provision in that it also allows
men who did not pay the 1920 pol
tax the privilege of paying that ta1
any time this year. The inclusion Of
this article was intended only for the
benefit of the women voters; but un
der the federal emendment providing
for woman suffrage no discrimination
can be made on account of sex, conse
quently any indulgence granted the
women had also to be accorded tn.
lmen, and for the first time man wht
forgot to pay his poll tax is given the
right in the succeeding year to do SO
It should be borne in mind, however
| that this applies only to the year 1920
How Old Is Ann :?
Under the new constitution AM
Twill have to figure out her age herself
Dealing in this feature of women vot
ing, Mr.. Jones, said
! over the objection Of the women
voters are still required to give thei
Iages when registering. This was deem
ed necessary in order to prevent fraud
ulent voting as an indentifcation O
the voter, and as an additional qualifi
cation in knowing and computing tn
age 1t was we'll said that persol
Is years of age might pose as one jus
81 and register and vote without
poll tax; and that person 55 years o
age might where there was no checl
on his age pose as one over so year
, and vote without poll tax.
Regarding qualifications, abuses g
the ballot and new registration, MI
!, Jones continued:
! "The elimination of the grandfathe
clause and the property qnalificatio
clause left only the education qualif
i cation clause of the old constitution
: There were added, however, the III
!, derstanding clause, which require
. that the applicant shall be able to III
: lderstand and give a reasonable inte
/ lpretation Of any section Of the const
r tuition when read to him by the regi
! trar.
Abuse of Ballot.
!. Complete disfranchisement fro
! the right of suffrage and from holdir
. any Office of trust or profit under Il
5 laws of this state is the penalty place
: on any person, who shall receive, a
4 cept, or offer to receive or accept, {
q fer or promise to pay or contribute ,
q offer or promise to contribute
= another, to be paid or used, any none
!. office position or other valuable thinl
Il as compensation or reward for Il
s giving or withholding of a vote at al
=. general, special, or primary electio
,r Or who shall make any promise to
q fluence the giving or Withholding
= such vote.
70 IA new and complete registration
- provided beginning January 2, 19s
ss under new registrar. Unless the Ia
"a is otherwise changed the registrati
' will run in four-year periods, beg
ming 1922"
al ---O-----s
j. Birthday Party
to t. Mrs. Joe Scoggins entertained abe
4 a a. ~ Yrs-z - "a