The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1952-10-30

| Der or the House OF representa-
tives from Holmes county, today
! explains the proposed Constitu-
tional Amendment to be voted or
! November 4 as follows:
Explanation Of Proposed
Constitutional Amendment:
Section 244 Of the Mississippi
Constitution of 1890 now provides
that the only educational qualifi-
cation for voting is that the voter
be able to read any section OF
the Constitution of this state, Or
if unable to read it, that he shall
be able to understand the same
when read to him or give a reas-
enable Interpretation thereof.
Although the educational train
ing of our people has advanced
greatly since the adoption of the
! Constitution of 1890, yet the
qualifications for voting remain
as they were 81 years ago with
the result that Mississippi's quail
fications are now among the very
lowest in the nation.
To advance the cause Of good
government in Mississippi, the
Legislature at its 1852 session
passed House Concurrent Reso-
luton No. 80 to be submitted to
the qualified electors of the state
at the general election to be held
on November 4. 1852.
1t will be noticed that this pro-
posed amendment does not con-
tain good moral character"
clause, and the amendment does
not apply to or affect any per-
son who was qualified elector
of this state at any time prior to
January /, 1852.
The body OF the proposed
amendment is as follows.
Amend section 244 of the Con-
stitution Of 1890 of the State OF
Mississippi TO read as follows:
| Section 244. Every elector shall,
in addition to the foregoing
qualifications be able to read and
write any section of the Constitu-
ton of this State and give a reas-
enable Interpretation thereof tc
the county registrar. He shall
demonstrate to the county regis.
trar a reasonable understanding Of
the duties and obligations of citi.
zenship under a constitutional
form of government.
The person applying to register
shall make sworn, written ap.
plication for registration on ;
form to be prescribed by the state
board Of election commissions
exhibiting therein the essentia
facts and qualifications necessary
to show that he is entitled to re.
gister and vote, said application
! to be entirely written, dated anc
signed by the applicant il
the presence of the county regis.
l trar, without assistance or sug
gestion from any person or me
morandum whatever; provided
y however, that if the applicant i:
$ unable to write his application by
}, reason of physical disability, the
n same, upon his oath Of such dis.
/ ability, shall be written at him
/, unassisted dictation by the county
registrar.
Any new or additional qualifi.
cations herein imposed shall moi
be required Of any person who
was a duly registered and quail.
fled elector of this state prior tc
!. January l, 1882"
: There is no new or untried
e qualifications in the above pro.
posed amendment. States already
q having the read and write
I clause in their constitutions O,
, general laws are: Alabama, Geor.
gia, Louisiana, North Carolina
: South Carolina, Massachusetts,
New Hampshire, Oklahoma and
D Oregon.
AS to the reasonable under.
0 standing of the duties and obliga.
: tons of citizenship" clause, i,
; was said by Thomas jefferson in
his day that citizen should no,
, only have an understanding OF
q his duties and responsibilities tc
his neighbor, but to his govern
ment as well. States now having
u such a clause are Alabama and
Louisiana.
!, The requirement of the Sworn
f written application" is contained
Y in the Constitutions of Alabama
, Louisiana and Virginia, and has
been approved not only by the
Supreme Court of Virginia in
> the case of Fleenor VS.. Dorton,
1877 Va. $50, AZ Sc. ed 329, but
by the Supreme Court Of the
United States in the case of Sch
nell VS.. Davis, 81 F. Supp. 872
1856 U. S. 933.
. Authors of the proposed amend.
ment are the following House