The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-02-05
AMENDMENT WILL
 SAVE STATE GRAVE
 POLITICAL PROBLEM
Democratic Leaders Claim Amendment Necessary to Prevent Vicious Element
 From Obtaining Vote

Unless the proposed suffrage restric- ton amendment Is adopted by the cit-
 inens of Alabama nt the polls newt
 Tuesdny, the stnte wilt face a grave
 political problem. which will he q l gaping danger, as result of the pnss- age ot the nineteenth amendment to the federal constitution, giving suf- | frngc to women as we'll as men. This l in a nutshell is the consensus of opin- ion among democratic leaders inter-
 viewed In Birmingham yesterday. l The good character clause of the 1 constitution went out of existence on
 January 1. 1903 being superseded by
 the educational and property-holding
 qualifications. The so-called grand father" clause which barred the vii
 cious male element of the states pop
 ulation of voting age in 1902, also was
 rendered invalid at the same time. At
 present, according to eminent lawyers | throughout the state, who were instru>
 mental in the adoption of the proposed
 amendment by the special session of the legislature, the state is in need of a safety valve" to check the menace which is near at hand--the vicious element of the female sex, better edu- cated than the males. and many of them property owners.
 FRAMED BY EvINS
 The proposed amendment was framed by Senator Evins of Hale in
 the black belt section, tp act as a check on the element which has al a; Ia i, Ia portion of the electorate of the state. According to George P. Bondurant.
 member of the state democratic com
 mittee, there is nothing hidden or ob- scure in the proposed law, but the pur- | pose is solely to assist the residents of l the black belt in restricting the right | to register to vote to those whose de> slrabiiity as electors has never been questioned.
 J. c. Arnold, a member of the last | Legislature, is strongly in favor of the proposed amendment, and urges its 1 adoption.
 Passage of this measure and ns enforcement will give the state a safety valve" which is vitally reces- l sary as an extra check on situation
 which has arisen as result of the
 passage of the nineteenth amendment | to the federal constitution. granting equal suffrage to women and men Representative Arnold declared There 1 is no danger of person really quali-
 fled to register being denied this fright" CABANISS FAVORS IT
 Jelks H. Cabaniss. prominent lawy er declared that he was heartily in favor of the measure, stating that he be- lieved 1t to be very good check tc | be used by the registration officers
 in coping with the situation which
 now confronts them.
 Since the passage of the federa
 suffrage amendment" says MT. Ca Phaniss last night, Alabama has needed . law which will back up her regis.
 trars in refusing the right to register
 70 vote in any case where one of the vicious element, either man or woman Ialthough able to read and write, still did not understand the duties and qualifications of citizen under re-
 publican form of government. This the proposed amendment supplies" In effect, the proposed amendment Twill restore the good character clause
 In the constitution which was rendered Invalid when the present registration
 laws went into effect in 1903 It's sole purpose, it is claimed, is to defeat any
 effort on the part of persons not qual
 flied under this provision to obtain the right to register