Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-02-11
ABOUT HONEST ELECTIONS.
when Will We Have . Law That HAS
No Erross or Mistakes?

<vO or Mtetokess
MILFORD. VA. January IL, 1884.
To the Editor of the Dispatch:
VIII you allow few suggestions from
an outsider In regard to the views Of the
Richmond Times. etc.? The views OF that
paper about honest elections may be all
right in theory, but isn't the Times a
little unjust In condemning the many for
the few?
A good law may have had bad men
TO execute it. IL that the fault OF the
law or the fault of the people? Admit.
for the sake OF argument, that there may
have been political crookedness In some
counties Of the State by designing parties,
is that really q just cause why good
law. that works we'll In a large ma
jority of the counties, should be repealed
and abolished?
II so, when Will we have a perfect elec-
tion-law-one that will have no errors
no mistakes. no frauds. and no flaws?
DO you know a single State OF this
Union that can claim such wise and
exemplary election-law as that? ! do not.
II this be true. why Is 1t the Times holds
up Virginia laws TO judgment, when our
laws are about as good as those OF
other States?
The Times seems to condemn South
Carolina and Mississippi laws and those
OF other States. / have read its severe
criticisms Of Virginia laws with many
regrets. l think the grand and fatal
error that paper falls into is that II adopts
vague rumors for facts, and II lends a
too-williDg ear to the complaints OF
disappointed Democrats. dissatisfied Re-
publicans, and demoralized office-seekers.
instead OF listening 10 calm reason and
dispassionate citizens all over the State
men who could disprove many OF the
grave and improper rumors set In circu-
lation by angry and excited people, often
times sore from political defeat. Can't
you induce our noble brother Of the Times
u go slow and be very wary?
CONFUSION.
I would ask the Times II II would do
away with all primaries and all nominat-
ing conventions because occasionally some
one gets an undue advantage of his OPP
ponent by what we call short cuts or
doubtful methodist 1 think not. II
would produce confusion worse confound-
ed And just so about State and county
elections. If one or two counties TOOK
near cuts and did naughty things In poll
tics would 1t be right to condemn all the
counties and all the people OF the state
for what one. or two, or three counties
might do? | think not. and yet the Times
fails TO discriminate in its almost daily
criticisms. II wrong-doing has crept in
side the Democratic party In certain lo-
calities, our political censor should invade
the county and community where 1t exists
and expose and denounce IL there. The
Times says IL has the proof. II its proofs
are convincing public sentiment will sus-
tain It, and the Times can rest assured
of that. But that paper ought not to pro-
claim to the world at large that old Vir-
gnia Is a fraud-that her people are tho-
roughly corrupt and politically dishonest
Let our neighbor look over this great
Commonwealth to-day and see how many
OF her people are true and honest-how
few are false and venal. BE this the
standard. Stand by the good. that are In
big majority, and against the bad. that
are In small minority The charges
made by the Times, I think. are too
vague and indefinite. both as TO people
and places. The great majority OF the
hearts Of our Virginia fellow-citizens are
too pure and too patriotic TO sanction
such frauds az have been charged publicly
against them md in their name | protest
against such sweeping accusations. ana
point To the broad limits OF the State and
not 10 few questionable counties TO sus-
tain our opinion in regard 10 Virginia SEN
tlment on this question. No rule should
be tried by the exception, and no law
should be condemned because few erring
parties see fit TO violate II thoughtlessly
or designedly. If there be any violations
OF the Virginia election-laws Il know OF
none). they are very few. and therefore,
insist 1t Is not right to charge the
Virginia people with either concealing or
approving Illegal methods and practices
az Is daily being done in the public prints
Of the State. 7. c. c.