Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-12-14
piohmnnd and Norfolk Politics.

NORFOLK. VA, December 12.-tSpe-
.,,n TN. political condition In this city
and section is such that the people have
absolutely lost faith I'm the honesty OF all
elections primary and general.
The foregoing Is paragraph from
TUESDAYS letter Of the Norfolk CORE
eponicnt Of the Richmond Times.
our Democratic friends in Norfolk are
IN pitiable plight " this correspondent
e. 10 be relied on. What on earth Is the
matter down there? If Norfolk can't
have fair elections she would do
well to have herself annexed TO Richmond.
There Is no doubt about the fairness Of
our elections. and more particularly those
lately held
Ever since the Acknowledgements
law went into operation We have had a
good electoral board a board composed
Of highly respectable men; men in whom
the community have the fullest faith,
aui as 10 the integrity Of whose acts
leo FAR as we can recalD no question has
ever been raised by any party. Perhaps
We have been uncommonly fortunate in
securing the services OF weil-qualifed
persons to MI these positions; but We
know Of no reason why each community
IN this state should not be able to COM
mand the services OF equally good men.
our primary and general elections are
indeed honestly conducted. or course we
do not undertake 10 say that there has
never been any fraud here; but we do
say that Richmond's elections are as
fair and square as the elections of any
city Of her population in this country
and are In all respects as well conducted
now as they were when judges of courts
appointed the officers OF electlon-a sys-
tenn that the people OF Virginia were
compelled 10 abandon because Malone
had put upon the benches of some county
and city courts Lizard judges'--men
who knew no viii but his.
The only downright case OF fraud at
our primary elections which we recall
occurred at our municipal primary in
lsss and II greatly incensed our people.
especially when We came TO consider that
no matter how abundant the proof OF
failt might be there was no law TO punish
the Offenders. Then and there our com
munity resolved that they would seek the
earliest opportunity 20 ask OF the General
ASSEMBLY legislation making II every whit
os 'hueh crime TO cheat at primary as
az general election TO this end a sub.
committee OF the city Democratic Com
H"''e were long ago appointed and for
months have teen at work acquiring In
'V'-na'i'n as 10 the laws OF other States
o' 'hS subject They will shortly ask
Tor an act suited to the wants of Rich
nOnd.
re need very simple law. The thing
70 make fraud committed at primaries
CRIME punishable as other election
''auds are punishable. That IL what we
""h enacted in the fewest possible words.
we suppose that It viii follow almost
necessarily that the cost OF primaries
"nsuher demanded by Democrats or RE-
puol'cans--will be- taxed upon our city
Treasury.
ne Dispatch does not know the views
OF The City Committee upon this par,icu-
'af branch Of the subject. but for It's own
part " would like 70 bee the Australian
bsi'ot Experimental with at ons OF our
priinafies tnderstand, we don't recom-
mend that tile Agstralian-baliot system
- made part Of our primary-elsc,ion