Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-08-30
AConfession as to the Force Bin.

The congressional convention of the
Peoples party which was held in this city
last week did not declare in terms either
for or against the force bill. The members
were afraid to endorse that bill LIST the
voters here should ali leave their stand
ards. But they were also afraid not 70 en-
dorse Il seeing that the Republican party
was as party pledged to the support OF
that bill. Here was dilemma, indeed.
Mr.. WArTERsos would have said that they
were between the devil and the deep
sea-" At any rate. the force bill was dis
posed of by the adoption Of the following
resolution
"Rssoipsd, That We srs In fun accord with the
etionsl platform Of tho Peoples party which
declares for free ballot AMI fair count Ia all
elections, and pledge ourselves to secure 10 to
every legal voter without Federal Intervention
or force bill agencies'
The national platform of the Peoples
party thus afforded our friends in this
congressional district means of escape
from the pit into which they had STUN
bled. EsoP in one OF his fables tells how
cunning animal escaped from well by
inducing another animal to get down into
the we'll Also when the former jumped
upon his back aud thence 10 the surface.
Here we have an illustration of the con-
duct Of the Peoples party in this district.
But TO what does the resolution above
quoted pledge the Peoples party? IL it
means that like MALONE, who first intro
duced the phrase "a free ballot and fair
count" into Virginia, they would employ
MAHoSE's methods in order TO carry Viz
gina this year for the opponents Of the
old Democratic party, then let no true
Virginian enroll himself with that body.
The people Of Virginia have nothing to
hope for from party which not only en-
ploys MAHoSE's methods and adopts his
battle-ory, but Is fighting in the interest
of that arch agitator and shrewd wire-
worker.
But the convention Of the Third Con-
gressional District pledged Its members TO
secure free ballot and fair count TO
every legal voter without Federal interven-
tion or the use of force bill agencies. What
is such pledge worth What can
the little minority or faction called the
Peoples party do towards securing these
desirable results in yirgiria-thst is, ad-
emitting, as we do not. that the ballot is
mot free nor the count fair in this State {?
THE Republican party has the right to
claim that just about half the voters in
this country are Republicans. Now, this
Smmsnse army of Republicans are pledged
by their national platform in favor of the
force bill. The Democrats have the right
to claim that nearly all the rest of the
voters are Democrats. Now, this immense
host of Democrats are pledged against the
force bill. But here comes q congressional
district convention in Virginia and pledges
itself TO do with its insignificant faction
what il is possible not all the
millions OF Democrats in the land can do.
What would DO more absurd il it were
not so dangerous Why dangerousS Be-
cause these People's-partv voters, however
few, are worth counting in Virginia. Their
resolution above quoted is q resolution
calculated to quiet the conscierces of a
few Democrats and induce them to trust
90 men TO defeat the force bill who have
no power TO accomplish that result. and
no reason to hope that they can do So
The declaration of the Peoples party Of
the Third District Of Virginia that
they will secure free ballot and a
fair count TO every legal voter without
Federal intervention or the use of force
bill agencies will not deceive many per-
sons There can be no force bill passed
without Federal Intervention. There
can be no force bill passed without the
employment of "force-bill agencies. ~
We are not afraid that many of the voters
Of Virginia will be deceived by the pro-
LESSONS Of the Peoples party. We only
fear that enough of them may be de-
ceived 10 endanger the success of the
Democratic party in this State. And yet
we cannot believe such result possible.
We expect on the contrary. to see the
Peoples party and the Third party 50
called, aud all other third parties waste
away for the next ten weeks. Still 1t Is
true that the national Democratic party
must be on the alert everywhere from this
time until the sun goes down on the sth
of November next. IT'S not a small con-
test we are engaged in, but glorious,
hard-working endesvor to save the south
ern people from renewal of the dread
full scenes of reconstruction DAYS.
II is only ten weeks from now till the
presidential election. Pray don't waste
your strength upon any Third party, nor
become any new party's ally. 1t is unrea.
sonable to suppose that such party will
be heard of after the election is over.
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