The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-12-08

A Citizen Who Thinks that 1t VIII Breal

IpIrsflc In Votes.
To the Editor Of The Times:
Sir.-The election through which we
have lust passed was, in this section,
probably one of the quietest that has
| ever been held. There was little II
| any drunkenness at the polls. nor were
| there any disturbances of any kind. |
| know that this condition was brought
! about largely by the fact that this Is an
off-year in politics, and partly by the
fact that the people were persuaded that
| the opposition to the Democratic nomi-
nees was not serious, and therefore they
could not be aroused. But while these
facts contributed largely to the condi-
lions that nave existed. still it Is very
I apparent to the careful observer that
the quiet and order that prevailed be-
fore and at the election was largely due
I to the fact that no whisky or money
was used to influence voters In this cleo
ton. and this was rendered possible
only by the election law that we now
have. In this county there were nu-
mcrous and loud complaints that II was
the dryest election ever seen, and That
n fellow could not get drop. Others
| (mostly colored) complained bitterly be-
| cause there was no money for the voters.
| While most of these complaints were
made jokingly. still IL is a lamentable
fact that many OF them were made
/ S'IlONSlJ. some men nave tOiNt ~
be so used TO having whisky offered
/ them 10 Influence" their votes, that they
look for II with an expectation that al
most amounts 10 n demand, particularly
on election-day. And other men have
come 10 be 80 used 10 having money
placed with them TO furnish whisky TO
voters (out OF which whisky they make
8 profit, that they are disappointed al
! most to the point of kicking, when no
I ic nj Wit II Dlo
20 say that many Of the liquor dealers
| in this county are not that way, how
| ever) And others have become so used
70 being paid for their votes that they
are disappointed and mad when they
| get no money, and often refuse 10 vote
| at all. These last are mostly colored)
Oh, that such conditions might be
changed. ana such practices stopped for
| all umei
When viii men cease 10 think that the
! right Of suffrage was given them simply
that they may by that fact be treated,
and enable them to indulge in several
| days OF free dissipation before and after
/ each election? When will men begin
I TO realize that their votes were given
them that they might have a voice I'm FREQ
government and not that they might
sell them to the highest bidder for cash?
When win the friends OF candidates and
| party workers cease to look upon a cam
| paign as an opportunity TO debauch the
voters at the expense OF the candidates
or OF the party. and 10 their own profit.
and will realize that party work means
something more than merely handling
campaign money, TO the degradation Of
/ the suffragan? II may be all right TO
sell whisky 10 may be all right 10
drink II. and 10 treat your friends, but
| for the purpose Of influencing voters
| none of the things mentioned above can
| be excused. except IL be nee
! essary as choice of evils.
We know that many friends OF candi-
| dates and party workers do these things
through the best of motives. but We
| know only too well that many Of them
are actuated in doing these things only
by the most selfish Of motives. and are
mad when the opportunity TO crafty
their selfshness is not presented.
But believe that Il the present cleo
ton law is allowed TO stand on our
statute-books, unmodihed i'm its basic
principles. that these conditions and prac-
| tees will be greatly modified #, indeed,
they are not finally done away with.
Under its provisions. the day has passed
when worker" can make voter
drunk as n fool, and then put any sort
of ticket in his hands and march him
up TO the polls and vote him as he might
vote hog, for now he must leave him
forty feet from the polls, and the voter
must fix his own ticket, and the drunken
the worker has made him the less apt
! ne is to get his vote. The day has gone
when the worker" with fifty cents IN
one hand and a ticket I'm the other. can
march the voter (who looks at the fifty
cents but not at the tickeO uD to the
polls and vote him any way he wants 10.
for now the voter gets his ticket from the
Judge, and fixes it IN the privacy Of the
| booth, and the worker" is not going
to pay for what he cannot know whether
he gets or not for he can't trust TO the
voters statement, for the man who will
sell his vote VIII lie about how he voted
The day Is past when leaders" who have
paid large sums, can marshal their hosts
and march them up TO the "Ofllcial ticket
holder" who delivers each one ticket
and puts him down on his list" for
| the judge now gives the voter his ticket
and God land he alone, besides the voter
can tell how he voted. The day has
passed when a crowd can gather around
the polls and create disturbances, and
thus intmidatc voters and make them
afraid 10 vote any ticket but the one
received from the official ticket-holder."
under fear Of social or race ostracism
The day IS largely past when the money
of candidates and parties Will go into
the tills of certain men TO be used in
h'hdANllhb fNA'inf bfidAnt HUWg NAAfI
they debauch them. they can't know
whether they got their votes or not
1 don't mean 10 say that the Walton
law will operate TO make men better.
Some men are always going TO get drunk:
some men are always going 10 Doe willing
10 try TO influence voters with whisky
and money, and some voters are always
going TO want TO be Influenced" by
whisky or money. Men will never be
angels on this earth, and we may always
expect some men 10 do bad things when
the opportunity presents itself, and under
system of universal suffrage many
voters will never be fitted I'm intelligence
or character TO exercise the right of
suffrage. But / do mean TO say that
under The Walton law the opportunities
for carrying on these pernicious prac-
tees is largely, if not wholly, done away
with. And with these OPPORTUNITIES
gone. the intelligence and conscience OF
the voter viii be appealed TO, instead of
his appetite, his avarice, or his fear,
and We Will thus inevitably have fairer
elections, and come nearer, much nearer,
getting, in our elections. an expression
of the honest and conscientious wishes
of the people. X. l.. Il.
southampton county, Va, Nov. 10. 1888.
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