The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-02-11
THE DIsPAICH's REPLY.


We have never yet met with any party
so firmly convinced of the efficacy Of
| the "tu quoque" argument as the Dispatch
| is 1t is its reply to every proposition
that it does not know how else to answer.
| If the Times should say that the Dispatch
| had no political convictions, that it had
10 opinions on any question until it saw
the drift OF public sentiment when 1t
| adopted that drift, that II was entirely
ready to advocate one proposition to-day
and exactly the opposite tomorrow if
| il found the first one unpopular, the
Dispatch would think it had made a COM
plctc answer to all the charges by saying
| the Times itself was not better than what
it pictured the Dispatch to be.
We have twice asked the Dispatch II
'ft would not range itself on the side OF
those who stand for extrpation of fraud"
and we have had no answer TO the ques-
ton yet, and don't know yet whether It
| is for or against fraud. 1t gave a half
column yesterday 10 the treatment Of
the question. but it did not answer it.
Let us see of what its treatment con-
sisted. 1t says first, ut is an amusing
conceit Of the Times that it stands for
the extirpation of fraud with an erect
ness never yet equalled by any other Vir-
ginia paper"
We suppose the Dispatch must be able
TO point to some utterance of the Times
time. while admitting that the Times
stands for the extirpation Of fraud" we
deny that it has the conceit that it does
so with an erectness never yet equalled
by any other Virginia paper" We call
for proof Of the charge.
The Dispatch says next that the Times
claims that all men knew the Anderson
Mccormick law was passed to encourage
and protect ballot-box stuffing. and as all
men knew it. the Times knew it, yet the
Times never denounced it until recently.
The Dispatch says the Times has never
yet explained this.
We cannot recall the case in which we
have said that "all men knew" this to
~ .hhS DoSt VI TIC Mt0Di-
mick law. Our argument has been that
the body of the people understood this
TO he the purpose OF the law. 1t never
entered the head OF the Times that the
people of Virginia were going to become
ballot-box suffers. even if an act was
designed to shelter 1t, and the Times
never, therefore. gave the matter the
slightest consideration. We repeat what
we have frequently before said, that we
were as much shocked and astonshed
to hear after last Novembers election
that frauds were the rule in the negro
counties as We were grieved by IT, We
now say once for all, that we had no |
reason 10 suppose, four months ago. that |
our elections were dishonest. knowledge |
OF that fact has come TO us within those |
four months. But suppose. as the Dis
patch Will have 1t, that the Times is a
new convert. does it deny that there
should be new converts when the old
ones go astray, and will it forbid 10
them their zeal?
So far as there is anything in the
Dispatches article that can be tortured
into a position it amounts to this: that
the Times has vastly exaggerated our
election frauds and that 1t will not be-
licve that any exist anywhere until they
are found TO exist by the verdict of a
jury.
This being the position Of the Dispatch
there is nothing to be discussed between
1t and the Times 1t will never believe
any frauds are practiced under our cleo
ton laws for there will never be any
verdict Of juries finding election officers
guilty-not even in the Smither's case.
So that. wrapped in the ample folds OF
its unsuspccting ignorance. il will forever
/ Lay it down to sleep away
In languid trance, the weary day"
The Times proposes to follow differ
ent course The Times opens it's eyes and
sees and harkens TO sounds and hears,
so that the Times knows our elections
are debauched and our suffrage il de
graded. The Times intends to continue
to the moral nature of its fe-
low Virginians. and it feels entire con-
hdence that that WILL sooner or later.
rouse itself and stamp this infamy down
into the dirt
= But. after all. as the interesting oues-
ton remains unanswered. we again ask
the Dispatch III 1t will not range itself
on the side Of those who stand for the
extirpation OF election frauds?"
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