San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-01-31
POLL PAYMENTS
MAY NOT REACH.
1922 FIGURES
Hundreds Crowd Central
Office and Sub-stations
on Final Day.
OPEN UNTIL MIDNIGHT
Confusion Exists Among
Alien Mexican Population
Who Rush to Pay Tax.

Poll tax payments in Bexar county
may not run as high as last year. This
was indicated Wednesday when with
but twelve bCurs remaining in which
| POLLS may be paid, the total payments
Lad not exceeded the $4,000 mark.
County Tax Collector ,phn A. Bitter
stated at noon that his office would re-
main open until midnight in order that
those coming late might be served.
Total payments up TO the cIose OF
business Tuesday Hisht were 3f,2jS. of
this number 1850 represented payments
made Tuesday. 50 early as Z c!ucl;
Wednesday morning n long line ~ poo
ple, possibly 30n had formed at tr'
court house, awaiting the opening OF the
tax collectors office. Business started
with a rush and continued all morning,
many staying in line during the noon
hour. 1t was estimated by Collector
Bitter that about 80 polls had been paid
during the morning which would bring
the total up to 81 I6S.
About $4,000. Paid Last Year.
Last year there were approximately
$4,000 poll taxes paid and about 5000
exemptions issued. Despite the fact
that the county collectors office as well
as the downtown booths were crowded
during the day, it seemed hardly prob
able that 5000. the number necessary
to bring the total up to last years fig
ures. would be paid during the after
noon.
The main office. Collector Bitter said.
will receive payments up until mid
night. In addition it is probable that
branch booths at the Trades Council
hall and on the West Side will be kept
open until midnight.
The branch booths at Joskes and at
the City National Bank. however. will
close at the regular closing time set
for these two establishments.
Some confusion has arisen among the
Mexican population of San Antonio.
Mr.. Bitter said, over the payment of
poll taxes as n result of a statement
sent out by the local Mexican consul,
urging all Mexicans to pay their polls.
Enrique. d. Ruiz, Mexican consul gen.
eral, called upon Mr.. Bitter Wednes-
day in connection with the matter.
May Not Entitle to Vote.
1t seems that. following the state
ment of the Mexican consul, many
Mexicans, some of whom were not citi-
zens of this country. rushed TO nav
their taxes. Consul General Ruiz had
a ruling from the states attorney gen.
eral that all men between the ages of
u and 80 were required to pay. Under
this ruling the consul concluded that
the payment Of the $3.50 would entitle
the men TO vote. Such is not the case,
Mr.. Bitter said.
Under the law every man between
these ages who owns propertv is re-
quired to pay S1.50. Before the Ter
rell election law was passed this was
considered a head tax. Since the pass
age of that law it has been designated
as a poll tax.
Payment of this $1.50 still is re-
quired, Mr.. Bitter explained, but the
fact that it has been paid does not en-
title the man to vote. To become a
qualified voter the person must have
taken out his second papers. Receipts
issued to those not citizens are stamped
allen" and the holder.is not entitled to
vote.