New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-05-28
DEMOCRATIC D1ssENsIoNs IN VIRGINIA

ou,,,oCR Alto, DISSENSIONS IN VIRGINIA.
THE CONDITIONS Confronting CoNGRESsMhN
FROM THAT STATE WHO SEEK RE ELECTION
WASHINGTON May q (Spec.aD.--A c.osc observer
NJ rolitjcs In the ola Dominion writes as ionows
from Petersburg. Va:
"There Is an earnest desire and demand in Nlr-
-,,io tor q now deal There is a conviction on the
mart OF the masses that certain classes in the S'ale
are Calming ali the honors. emouments ana PRIV.
leres Of the party pretty much or the principe OF
their divine right rue. There Is growing oeiei
that the election machinery is operated 'arge'' J"
their behalf. For the las, eight years there mas
been an apparent indifference on the part OF The
Marty managers TO the wishes OF the masses NC
Kinney defeated Malone by substantial majority
five wears ago ard there was some surface entnusl-
asm in that election Since that election the Demo
cratic party has been losing ground in virginia nor
by reason OF the assaults Of rs enemies out d! or!
rot in the party itself Nobody ever VIII be abe
10 estimate the number of the multitude OF Demo-
Gratis who did not vote in last falls election and
nohodv can say that the 'stay-at-homes viii not
be as numerous in 1894 they were in lS9 Ana II
they are there VIII necessarily be some cHahses
in the Virginia delegation. and If the present lnd-
cations are not all misleading the petersburg us
trict 0he WITH will be represented in the next
Congress by Republican. The lFth Is one or rhe
two negro districts in the State. and when Viz
rinia Democrats do not poll their tuH Young
strength in a black district 1t is proof conclusive
that The marty Is in an unhealthy con1itcn. The
on,tnatbv 20 Republicans elected by negro MAORI
ties has always been sufficient in Itself to bring out
every Democratic voter in sold array against the
blacks .,.. =. ,-,,,,,.,
+in1id voters and concentrate the Democratic
strength. The election machinery, once se s9 III
the hands Of the Democrats was SO sHi1 ; ' NV
nipulated that the negro became minus quana,,s
on election day The Oid-;ime black ma)oTltleS van,
ished like snow before July sunshine. The white
piness and conentment in the democratic ranks;
But the day came when great many Dein0Vrs.,s :
destroy negro majorites could also destroy Demo.
cratic opposition 10 the machine OF course thaii
several Democratic newspapers In ne state haI
persistenry pointed out for years before the eIus
which would logically result from the election ne,n-
DDS sanctioned by the highest authority IN the parry
Puf no heed was paid their warnings until me
party was almost split in TWO and tnen me Legs
iature grated the existing law come OF the
features Of the Australian ballot leaving the worst
features of the old law, however. siM in operation
The new election law goes into effect on july l. ana
will therefore be In operation Wn.n Ie Id AZ. no
advocates of reform in election methods are by no
means satisfied. and II Is doubtful whether men
who had sworn that never again wou;d tney VOTE
as long as the McC'ormick-Anderson Election Jaw
was in operation will vote with the Walton Aus
tralian attachment. $500. . .,1
Democrats who seek reelection Will have 70 con-
template when they return home and enter upon
the ight They will find party In which II is neX'
10 impossible 10 excite enthusiasm or interest,"
partv divided among itself and weakened by the
desertfon from It's ranks of many who have gone
over the Populists. 1t Is not pleasant prospec
but Il Is an open question whether defeat would
not be a good thing in the end for the Virginia
Observation-Disclosures II would not clear the situa
not bring the leaders and the closer together
50 that proper understanding might be reached
This Is the way a number of Democrats not only
in the Nth District but in every other district II
the State. are taking