Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1894-02-10
ARE OUR ELECTIONS HONEsTi

4
The Richmond, Va, Daily TIMES
liberal Democratic journal has
leen faithfully endeavoring to lead
he party with which it is identified
,ack Co the true principles of Demo-
;racy-
1t attacked that generous growth
dishonest elections and no sur
zeon has ever essayed to locate and
advise as to theremoval of the same
with more precision and fidelity |
than has this champion OF truth and
Justice
When the allegation was made
that political rings controlled the
state and that whereas when the Re-
publican Party was active Negroes
we're cheated, but since it's retire |
ment from the field outspoken AMI
independent white men were cheated
as well, the Chairman of the State
Democratic Committee professed Is
norance and the Richmond, Va, DIS
PATCH was stone-blind.
1t was openly stated that the
charges must be substaptiated by
facts. Well In the DAILY TIMES oil
the 4th inst, these facts are pro-
duced. With what success the read
err may Judge from the editorial
uttera ices of this. journal.
ssThe exposure we make this morning
Of what took place at Smithers' store
precinct, in HeDrico county, at the cleo
uon on November z, 1898, should make
every citizen of Virginia pause and ask
himself earnestly and seriously If he has
any voice. in his government at all az
| matters now stand. Three hundred and
nfty votes were ali that were cast at thie
l precinct and yet the election officers re
corded six hundred and eleven and that
by the most open and barefaced meth
DDS of stuffing the ballot-box. So bolC
had successful fraud made them thai
1 they neglected the most ordinary pre-
: cautions discovering up their tracks. Th'
copying of blocks of i've" from the reg
istration book is perhaps the most opel
: and barefaced fraud that ever was at
tempted BelOTc uuucT blLilittE ctICuHl
| stances. By this method, a precinc
which had never before given more thar
; | one hundred and seventy democrati
o votes in an honest election was made t.
| give tour hundred and ninety EIGHT Dem
e ocratic votes. 1t could just as easil
nave been made to give one thousand
they had been needed.
And again:
d ''This thing could not have happene
| without the connivance of all the ele,
ton officers at that precinct. 1t il
8 therefore. to be considered as part {
n and belonging to our election system
1 A system which makes those who haS
, exclusive control of the elections boar
b. OF partisaus, all OF one party, to hol
their meetings in secret, keep no recorC
and be accountable to no one, must
Il course work it's way by degrees to ele
ed tons like that held at Smither's.
-, The Times has uncovered what w,
X, done at this precinct by it's own unaid'
OF | efforts. 1t was OF course at great d
W. advantage from having TO pick up
o- information here and there and whel
or ever it could find an item. 1t had
power to compel the attendance of W
ok l aesses to give evidence. Ii it had Il
a power it has not the slightest doubt tn
at 1t could show that state of affairs sir
led lar to that at Smither's exists in aIms
the every, il not every Negro county.
'es- What win che people OF Virgin
the say to this How do they like
the situation7 But the DAnY IN
ng, propounds a few questions and
am am swers them. Here they are
her ssThe Dispatch has repeatedly taun
ked the Times with the question ''Why
you not go with your allegations
-b,s fraud before the grand iuries2 We b
now proved fraud. What does the
)me patch think will be done? We can tel
,ich Nothing. 1t is very doubtful whe
the grand Jury iDdicts any one. b
Une it does there will be no conviction.
re- cannot be expected 20 be better I
of their laws. The Anderson McCorI
law was understood Dy the people
'uDt intended to be a shelter for cheatiI
tout elections. 1t has demoralized a 3
even part Oh 1he moral se tha ~ .nS psIPle
perpetrated in elt ctions with a shrl
-~> the shoulder and inward thanks
NED' their election troubles are ended.
But are they ended? lis it any rel
3 i. escape Negro rule to fall under
a B absolute and sutocratic rule of q ri
election thieves and ballot-box stu
noAe What is the use of any citizen v
T re- aQain2 his vote is not counted I
it suits the election officers to cou
What part then has the citizen
TO government. None, absolutely
one He had just as well stay at home
10 the polls. The result is the
in either case.
enty-
,Ition All, the white men OF Virgin
order to protect themselves ae
q dur. fraud and thievery must protec
, and Here is the practical demon
lioaal ton of principle which is as
rn time and as unvarying as Il
cation mighty.
hun May the christian people rail-
Roam the masses see that 1t is abso
essential to the life OF free go
'eason meDt that honesty be agair