Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1893-06-30
The Unclean Thing.
From the Virginia sun.

81 tell you, gentlemen, this thing has
TO stop. Cheating at elections is de-
moralzing our whole people. Honor,
which vas once regarded as man 3
dearest possession, is now openly ridiculed
as old fashioned and squeamish. We are
deterioratlng as people, and the princi-
pal cause of our deterioration IS the idlotic
nonsense about preserving white civiliza'
ton" by cheating. You can't cheat
man out of his vote, whether he be white
or colored, without hurting yourself
great great deal more than you hurt him.
Our boys are growing mp to ,ook upon
cheating as smartness, and we, their
fathers, are their teachers. Gentlemen,
we can not do evil that good may come
Evil always produces evil, and we are
but sowing the wind to reap the whiil-
wind"
Thus spoke a prominent Democrat IN
the company of his friends, and al! honor
TO him for it. He but voices the sentl-
ment which to-day is troubling thousands
of honest Virginia hearts AID there will
he no peace tor their consciences until
they cast out the unclean thing.
Only the other day IN Prince George
county at Hives' precinct the Popullsts
polled 1874 votes. and the Democratic
iudges only allowed them 40. A few
DAYS later 100 white men tramped through
the mud and rain and swore before a
magistrate that they had voted the Popu-
list ticket. Such frauds stink to Heaven,
and are an everlasting disgrace TO the
community which permits them.
Itlsno excuse to say that these IN
iouities are practised to "preserye white
civilization" In the first place, 1t was
white men who were robbed OF their
votes. and white men who we're defrauded
ont of the offices to which they we're
elected. In the second place, the men
who are the beneficiaries OF the fraud are
a disgrace to any Civilizations set oil
low.liyed, whiskey guzzllng bandits VINO
ought to be in the penitentlary. .,
Another instance comes from the CIVIL
ized ~ CITY of Norfolk. In the Preslden-
tial election, IN the second precinct OF the
frat ward of that city the returns sho"
only 3 Prohibition votes, and yet y SUD
stantial citizens appeared before notary
and swore that they voted for Bldwell'
Here are 90 votes proved to have oeen
thrown out-the votes OF men VINO nae
no hope for the success OF their party, Oni
who expected to be allowed the SINAI,
consolation of having their votes counted
in behalf of a principle to which they are
devoted. How did those few Prohibition
votes threaten "white civilization !" Ihey
threatened the rum power, and we nave
vet to learn that drunkenness IS neces
sary copcomitant OF "white CIVILIZATION
The fact is, cheating at elections was
first wInked at because it was done tC
keep 1.-The niger" down, and the very
people who winked at it are now suffering
the evil consequences of their dallanct
with disbonor. The whole election ma
chinery of the State IS now in the handS
of a set of INSCRIPTIONS rascals who DO
not stop at anything to carry out theil
selfish designs. 1t matters not what the
people want or who is their choice for Of
fee, under the present regime an election
records nothing but the wishes OF lew
score politicians, whose sole aim IN lie Il
to fatten at the Public crib and take care
of their friends. Meanwhile the country
goes from bad to worse, and there can DC
no hope for the future until this rnie Oh
ruftianism is ovetthrowu.
Here is the great issue for the people
of Virginia for the next electiOn-purlhca'
ton of the ballot. Virginia never car
prosper until her skirts are cleansed from
the reeking corruption which now pollu'e'
her whole political being, Let mer
of all parties-Popuhsts, orohibltionists
Democrats and Repu 0licans-unite IN one
mighty effort to rescue our forlorn state
from the horror of darkness which Is en-
quilting her.