The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-11-10
THE OPERATION OF THE WALTON
LAW.

The OPERATION Ot HE "hh1O%'
LAW
DISPATCHES from several quarters In Nlr-
ginia represent that the white men VINO
cannot read are very much DISSATISFIED
with the Walton law. They look on IL
ms. I'm a measure. humiliating to them to
have 20 go before the constable. confess
their ilNteracy. and request him TO pre-
pare their ballots for them.
There is no doubt that this is the weak
SPOT I'm the law. and 1t is one the weak
ness OF which is incurablc. is H. now
over a weakness Of sufficient Importance
10 Justify us in giving the law up? we
think not. We would under no circum-
stances consent to see the ilHterate white
men OF Virginia DISTINGUISHED. Many
most worthy citizens of this State are
unable TO read or write their names.
MANY Of those soldiers who carried the
Confederate banner triumphantly over
hundred bloody battlefelds, and who were
amongst the trucst. bravest and most
steadfast of Nirginia's defenders in the
DAYS of her peril are unable to read or
write. and The Times will never, while 1t
can raise its voice In protest consent 10
see those men put under and disabilities
of any sort whatever. They are. in the
essential qualities of manhood. the peers
OF any Virginians that ever lived. That
must be understood distinctly. and right
now.
Bat the state furnishes public free
schools. In which all the rising generation
can easily acquire enough learning TO be
able TO mark their ballots. and she sup
Elements this with an officer who VIII
instruct the voter how to mark 1t, " he
wishes aid This is all that any Hitter
ate man can reasonably demand. If the
Walton law meets the necessities of our
most difficult situation IN other respects, 1t
Is unreasonable that the illiterate white
voters should require the rest of the voters
TO abandon IL on a mere triling point OF
pride OF this sort. They must learn
to pocket their pride so far as this small
matter is concerned. in the interest of the
general welfare. and we have no doubt
that a few elections Will accustom them
TO II sufficiently to cause the disappear
ance of all friction on this point.
There are IA few amendments TO be
made to this law which would, in our
opinion. make ii give perfect satisfaction
10 everybody. We still insist that the
judges of election should be appointed by
the courts, but If the electoral boards con-
tinue they should be required TO appoint
one of the three judges of election gem
uine and bona iide Republican, instead of
"A stool pigeon-one that can be bought
with a ten-dollar bill-and the illterate
voter. after the constable has prepared
his ballot, should be permitted TO show 1t
TO the judges, or one of them, and ask IL
Il Is prepared as he wishes TO vote II.
II IL high praise of the Walton law mat
Judge Waddill a Republican. should sug-
gest these two amendments as all that
are necessary, in his opinion. to make
the law give satisfaction TO the Repub-
leans, and they are certainly eminently
fair and Just in themselves. The genu-
Inc Republican for a judge, instead Of a
stool pigeon Republican, can be secured
by recurring the electoral board to appoint
one out OF six recommended by the chair
man of the Republic on Iarty in the coun-
ty.
That provision. too. OF the Walton law
which requires three-fourths of a name TO
be scratched through, or the name will not
be construed TO be scratched at all, is
most improper and should be altered
Where IL is the obvious purpose of a voter
to scratch name. that name should be
deemed scratched. whether much or little
of II Is scratched.
We would go further even than this.
The Maryland law provides that the Of
ficial ballot shall be posted up at the
voting place where all men can see 1t and
prepare their ballots in conformity with
II. This is In the interest of fairness and
should be adopted as an amendment to
the Walton law.
The electoral boards in some of the
counties did some things preparatory TO
the recent election for which we are
very sorry, For instance, different bal
lots were printed for the same county.
One would have one candidates name at
the head OF II. another another. and so
on. the positions OF the names being
transposed on each ballot This was. OF
course to prevent one man studying out
the respective positions OF names on the
ballots and telling illiterate men to
strike out ali but the first, second third
or fourth names, as the case might be.
There is nothing in the Walton law
that Justifes any acts like these. 1t is
true the law does not In terms forbid
them. but IL does not authorize them.
All that II provides for is the preparation
by the electoral board OF ballots con-
tanning all the names. But the cleo
toral boards should remember that in
preparing these ballots they are the d.
rect representatives OF the State and
they should resent any suggestion that
their State would do anything that bore
even the semblance of trick. They
should impute to their State an inten-
ton to make II perfectly easy and sim
pie for every one OF her citizens author
ized by her laws 10 vote TO exercise his
right without any impediment or en-
barassment OF any sort whatever. and
they should suppose that she intends