Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-03-07
WEDNESDAY......MA MARCH 7, 1884,
Acknowledgements Auxiliary.

Andsrson-M cCormick Auxiliary.
The Walton bin has passed both houses
ana We doubt not vii promptly receive
the approval OF ,hc Governor.
Thus. our General Assembly declares That
our electoral boards are not only worthy
10 retain al the powers they have hith-
orto lad. but are worthy TO execute ''e
further delicate and responsible Work OF
appointing special constables for the vot-
ing precincts Of this Commonwealth
This special officer IS TO be clothed not
only with the duty Of preserving order at
the POLLS. but when called upon must as
sist each nliteratc voter 20 prepare His
ballot. and Is to be sworn 10 maintain
secrecy in relation thereto.
That tire electoral boards VIII discharge
this addiuoull duty with wisdom and dis
erection we have 10 doutt. II is great All
,hor.ty which has just been pat INTO theH
hands. but W can trust them to use Ii
properly.
Though much has been said "f late IN
criticism Of our election system III 10
single instance That We can recall has
e. b,,p proved that any electoral board
has been unfaithful to its trust or indIi-
ferout TO the obligations lud upon It's
members by the oath OF office. 30 the
Democratic party throughout the state
will applaud tho wisdom OF Tie Legis'a-
ture. not only in leaving tn Anderson
Mccormick law untouched. but oy CLOTH
inc the electoral boards with weishticr
duties and larger rcspon. .bilileS IMAM e'e'
before. There VS. scarcely O. spark oil
sentiment I'm either house IN favor OIL
abolishiue tho boards and restoring the
apuointIucnts AZ registrars ana judges Oh
elections L. county ANA city judges
The AuslruIau-hailot system which we
are now about to try IS to be m experiment
with rs If IL proves TO lee Ecll adapted
+, our wants, no doubt il viii be con-
tinuod. but if IT dis.ppoints the eXpccta-
tlons of its friends it s,ould and VIII be
renealed If an carly day. TIere is al
most sum. 20 be an extra session of the
General Assembly next winter. Such an
extra session, we assume. will have to be
called T. enact laws when the peuI
larceny amendment to the Constitution
(Which amendment is 20 be voted for In
November will authorize the General AS
semblv to pass. and whereby as much
rs 100000 per annum may be saved the
hubble treasury by reductions in criminal
expenses. So 1t seems plain that If the
law doesn't suit us it may be speedily
repealed or modified or made TO exempt
certain counties.
The new law will prove Of most advantage
TO the people Of the negro belt" In all
the arguments we have made in its favor
,ve have so said. IL the people of that
soc,,on can, convert negroes to Democracy
this law will allow the converts to vote
,,rowed nv their political and church
bosses. In the booth where each voter
must go to prepare his ballot the voter
will have no prying eyes upon him. If
he can read he can arrange his own
ticket balloO; II he cannot read he can
call the special constable to his assist
ance The name of every candidate will
no nrinted on one (ofiiciaD ballot, and
the names must be erased until the voter
has left untouched the names of the cam
d,dates whom he wishes to elect.
This system will make voting slower
than If now Is. and no doubt in some
cities and counties there will have to be
=. novy arranrement of voting precincts.
we guess that in Richmond some exist
ing precincts will have to be made
smaller.
II must be conceded that this system
will give us more trouble and subject
the pubIic TO more expense than the ex-
listing system, but we speak for Rich
mond-we dare say we might likewise
speak for the whole .State-when we say
that all this our people are willing to
Undergo for the benefit of the patient,
long-suffering, oft-misrepresented De-
mocracy Of 1.-The negro belt" 1t is q law
which requires that "the white counties"
should make something OF a sacrifice for
"the black counties" but we much mis-
take the virginians Of to-day If. upon
do not cheerfully consent to make It,
The very least we can do Is to resolve
20 give the new law O. fair and unpreju-
diced trial.
1t. however, requires no ingenious argu-
ment 10 show that the white counties are
deeply interested in the settlement Of the
race issue in the black counties. The
sooner this race issue is obliterated the
sooner every State question will be d.