The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-06-29
THE NEW ELECTION LAW.

We publish this morning lengthy re-
view Of the state Of our election laws, by
Mr.. +. =. Buford. Of Brunswick county
Va. Mr.. Buford is perfectly right In ac-
cording to us sincerity in our opposition
10 the frauds that were practiced IN
many parts Of the State under the An
derson-McC Ormick law 1t is our deliber-
ate opinion that unless public sentiment
in this State takes cognizance of those
frauds and asserts itself in such positive
and unmistakable condemnation of them
as shall force their complete discontin-
nance, an era Of corruption will have set
in in Virginia which will undermine and
destroy every virtuous impulse in the
character of her citizens and convert them
into a trading huckstering population of
election thieves. Our readers, TO whom
Mr. Buford refers, should not have been
hasty I'm being disappointed at our well
coming even the Walton law. We have
never yet said that the Walton law
satisfies us. for 1t is just as far from
satisfying us as a measure conceived In
the interest Of fraud can be from salts
flying man bent on securing pure cleo
tions We saw perfectly well that the
provision for only one constable, who
would Of course be a Democrat. 10 mark
the illiterate voters ballot, was intended
10 be a piece OF machinery by which
every illiterate negro (or white man, for
thaD who wished 10 vote for the Repub-
lican party would have his ballot cast
for the Democratic party. We saw that
this provision contained "the milk in
the coc0anut;" that it was unfair and in
tended for the ends of fraud. But when,
after the last election November lasD,
we learned. what we had not known be-
fore that our elections were debauched
in many Of the negro counties, and we
commenced our agitation for a reform
OF them. opinion in the State was over
whelmingly against any interference
whatever with the Anderson Cormick
law. And when. by persistent hammer
ing. we drove the Legislature into some
sort of modification of 1t. we thought
we had forced a giants stride towards
improvement. The passage OF the Walton
bill was a distinct concession that the
charges made against the Anderson-Mc-
Cormick law were based in justice 1t
was a concession that that law had to be
abandoned. because 1t was a shelter and
protection for fraud The Times thought
that when IL had secured this prodigious
concession wisdom called on 1t 10 be con-
tent for the time. and not to jeopardise
the securing of that by Insisting that the
concession should include stil more.
The Walton law is far from being
what IL should be, bat inasmuch as il
hon 1rng H.. 81
has been begun which is the first step in
the direction Of pure elections No move
could ever have been successfully inau-
gurated I'm that direction until there was
first a concession OF the necessity for
one. That concession was made when
the Legislature solemnly resolved. by
passing the Walton law, that the Ander-
son-McCormick law was a shelter-tent
for fraud that must be abandoned. This
Is why The Times welcomed the Walton
law knowing, though. full well that |
those who conceded 1t did so because |
they thought its provisions would make |
cheating even easier than it had been.
We fully share Mr. Buford's concep-
tions OF the danger 10 free and honest
government that turks in this well con-
ceiVed measure for perpetrating frauds.
But we do not share his apprehensions
Tor the result. The public conscience Is
aroused. and the demand for fair cleo
MONS Is universal all over the State To
s"ihdie and cheat voters who are unsus-
pecung Is one thing; to swindie and cheat
voters who know that an effort in tina,
direction Is TO be made is quite another
uhlhs' Heretofore there have been three
JUDGES and two clerks OF election who
hahdie the ballots, the poll lists and
,he oaiot-boXes; so that there have heer
hVe men TO divide the responsibility for
fraud. with all the difficulties OF ax
ing II upon any one OF the five NJ.
however there is but one man ON whor,
."e iraud can rest II a ballot is ohar.od
from what the voter designs that II shsn
De- !" the special constable who win
oe Nn0"h TO he the person who has
s"s"sVo IL II is not pleasant ,h,no
'or any man TO stand before his conr,,
'ny as self-con'>ssed thief ever a,
MI that he has stolen is an uli,era,o
sro's ballot The count win be Ken, =, , ne
outside OF each pollIng-placa qua 4. I'm