American adventures : a second trip "Abroad at home" . uld-be voter must read and write to the satisfac-tion of Jiis examiner, the negros chance to get suffragewas still more reduced. The United States Supreme Court has, I believe, heldthat the educational clause does not constitute race dis-crimination. As though the above measures were not sufficient, itis further required that, in order to vote at Novemberelections in Alabama, voters must pay a small volun-tary poll tax. This tax, however, must be paid eachyear before February first—that is, about nine monthsbefore elections actually take p
American adventures : a second trip "Abroad at home" . uld-be voter must read and write to the satisfac-tion of Jiis examiner, the negros chance to get suffragewas still more reduced. The United States Supreme Court has, I believe, heldthat the educational clause does not constitute race dis-crimination. As though the above measures were not sufficient, itis further required that, in order to vote at Novemberelections in Alabama, voters must pay a small volun-tary poll tax. This tax, however, must be paid eachyear before February first—that is, about nine monthsbefore elections actually take place. The negro hasnever been distinguished for his foresightedness with adollar, and, to make matters harder for him, this tax iscumulative from the year 1901, so that a man whowishes to begin to vote this year, and can qualify inother respects, must pay a tax amounting to nearlytwenty dollars. These measures give Alabama, as my informant putit, a very exclusive electorate. With a populationof approximately two millions, the greatest number of 424. Birmingham practices unremittingly the pestilential habit of cutting in at dances BUSY BIRMINGHAM votes ever cast by the State was 125,000. Of this num-ber, 531 votes were those of negroes, representing acolored population of 840,000! The gentleman who explained these matters also toldme a story illustrative of the old-time Southerners atti-tude toward the negro in politics. During Reconstruction, when Alabamas Legislaturewas about one-third white and two-thirds negro, a fineold gentleman who had been a slaveholder and was anexperienced parliamentarian, was attempting to presideover the Legislature. In this he experienced much diffi-culty, his greatest bete noir being a negro member,full of oratory, who continually interrupted other speak-ers. Realizing that this was a part of the new order ofthings, the presiding officer tried not to allow his irri-tation to get the better of him, and to silence the objec-tionable man in parliame
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