Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-10-25
THE CAPITATION TAX,

matters for the information of the
people" They are pending amend
ments to the State Constitution,
which We're proposed by the General
Assembly of 1921, approved by the
governor, and will come up for final
action at the next session of the Leg
islature. If then approved they will
become n part OF the States funda-
mental law.
One OF these pending amendments
provides for adding to Article Nv of
the State Constitution the following:
mo citizen of the State OF Della
ware shall be disqualified TO hold
and enjoy any office or public
trust under the laws of this State
by reason OF sex
This is designed to extend fun citi-
zenship TO women, following the be-
stowal upon them of the privilege OF
franchise by the Nineteenth Amend
ment TO the Federal Constitution.
The other pending amendment aims
to strike out Section OF Article VIII
of the State Constitution. which reads
as follows:
The General Assembly shall
provide for levying and collecting
capitntion tax from every male
citizen of the State OF the age OF
twenty-one years or upwards; but
such tax 10 be collected in any
county shall be uniform through
out that county, and such capita
ton tax shall be used exclusively
In the county in which 1t Is coll
lected."
And TO insert in lieu thereof the
following:
The General Assembly shall
provide for levying and collecting
capitation tax from every ciu-
zen of the State OF the age of
twenty-one years or upwards; but
such tax to be collected in any
county shall be uniform through
out that county, and such capita
tion tax shall be used exclusively
in the county in which It is col
lected."
1t will be observed that the pro
posed new section is identical witt
the one to be stricken out, with
single exception--the omission OF IN
word male" before the word "citi
zen" The effect of the change, II rati
fed by the next General Assembl,
will be to impose a capitation tax upo
women, as we'll as upon men. Thi
also is in accordance with the impor,
ant change in the status of wome
by clothing them with the privileg
of franchise.
The capitation. or head tax, has Ion
been an element in the requirement
of citizenship in our State. Unde
the old Constitution it was a pre-
requisite to voting, and the payne1
OF the capitation taxes of indifferer
citizens. In order TO make them quail
Ned voters. was u costly and burdeI
some task for the campaign commi
tees OF the political parties, especial
for the Republican party in respect
the Negroes. By the new Constit,
ton a registration fee OF one doll;
was substituted, but when the Repu
lican party secured control Of q
Legislature. this registration fee ",
abolished and voting made free to
citizens who would take the trout
TO apply for registration. Still, the ne
Constitution retained the capitati
tax, as Will be observed by the abo
quotation. and now II is proposed
apply II TO women as well as to me
The General Assembly, howev,
very indifferently perforued ffs A.,
OF providing for levying and cole,
ing a capitation tax from every m;
citizen" 1t provided that the lie
Courts should levy and collect such
tax, which In New Castle county "
nxed ut not less than rs cents a
not moro than $1.25 per capita. 7
levy Court fixed the minimum ra
but the collection, except as TO pre-
erty holders, who find the capitat
tax included in their property |
bills. has been a farce.
Recently, the Levy Court Of y
Castle county made order for a cl,