Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-12-05

oner awaiting trial, he Is dischafseu ny
the court.
authorized. upon the application OF We
Superintendent Of the Penitentiary .. W
jailer OF any county or city. 10 direct the
removal OF any felon or prisoner serslns
term, who may have contracted uar-
gercus and contagious disease, 10 soihe
place to be designated by the superln-
tendent or jaier In his application 'yr
treatment. to be returned 10 tne penn,
Tertiary or jail when he mas recoseIeu,
unless the term of said felon or prisohei
shall have expired.
j recommend that similar AUTHORITY ~
conferred upon the judges In the cases
Of prisoners awaiting trial.
THE WALTON ELECTIoN-LAW.
The act approved March 6. 1921 entitle9'
IAN act TO provide for the method OF vo,-
ing by ballot" and known as the on,
ton law" has been vigorously assai' ~.
and earnestly defended. ] have gwen .ne
act careful consideration. and. IN the per
Torrance OF my duty l shall express my
views plainly and frankly. ,.,s
The object of all election-laws shouid
be the securement OF order AT the poli5
and free and untrammelled. pure anu
urpurchased. expression OF the VIII or
the people through the medium OF we
ballot box. IL must be conceded mat tnc
system which had prevailed IN NiIEina
for years prior 10 1924 had utterly iali,n
cannot be denied that there had Deeh
much confusion and disorder at the VOC
ing-places. and that large sums OF money
had been used In every electloli 10 Sui
rupt voters by all political parues, anu anu
mems ballots had been purchaser hhe
stocks i'm the market, 1t cannot be
denied that the weak i'm VIII had petii
controlled by the strong. that tney, n saI
been unduly Influenced and compeneu, III
fear of class or race Ostracism OF peIse
no will OF Ofntf~. HtA
their own. and deprived OF the Tree 'Nei-
else of the right Of suffrage. ,s
That this condition of affairs snoulu
cease IN the interests OF our lnstf t ,.,n,
had long been apparent 10 aneiS c no.rsIi
and right-thinking citizen. Inc peieia al
a Assembly. fully apD:eciating the danger
10 our Institutions which had Deeh IN
creasing year by year, unhtrlosont 81. .n
task OF reforming our laws IN the ny -
of pure elections and the Walton act was
the result of the combined eHoft anu
wisdom OF a majority of the represehta-
tives. .....a
Has the act accomplished the purpose
for which IL was intended! IL mas Su,oy
secured nuiet. peaceable, and orderly cleo
tons The excitement. confusion, ana uls,
order. and the badgering. pulling anu
hauling of voters. that prevailed 10 sucn
a disgusting extent. have ceased. III mas
rendered the use of money iInpossip,l ni
for the venal voter can no longer be led
TO the polls by him who has c0ntracteu
for his vote 1t has certainly secured the
free, untrammelied, and unpurchaseu pal-
lot of every voter Of ordinary intelligence,
FOR when he enters the booth he Is exempt
from intimidation and the influence or
money, class and race. and there pre-
mares his own ballot with his own hand,
under his own eye. and none other.
So Ear. the effect of the Walton law
must meet with the hearty support or
every citizen who values orderly cleo
tons condemns the use OF money at the
polls. and desires a free. untrammeiled
and unpurchased expression of the VIII
OF the people.
DUTIES OF THE CONSTABLE.
Now. as 10 the voters who are 'physi-
cally or educationally unable TO vote.
The statute provides that special con-
stable who shall be an honest and dis
Greet person, and be able to read and
write" shall be appointed for each poll
ing-piace I'm the State who, after being
duly sworn to faithfully discharge MS
duty. shall. ''at the request OF any elector
who may be physically or educationally
unable To vote" render the elector such
assistance as may be necessary in pre-
pairing his ballot
Ii is to this provision Of the law that
the most strenuous objection Is made ny
the opponents of the act. II Is cOntended
that under II ilitera'te and blind
voters are placed at the mercy OF the
special constable. This is true; but ever
since the ballot system was adopled IN
Virginia. until the passage of the Walton
law all illiterate and blind voters were
compelled to rely upon others VINO We're
not officers, and were n6t under oath, 10
prepare their ballots. The Walton law
gives them sworn officer, under heavy
penalty instead OF a private citizen, un-
bound by the sanctty Of an oath. Ihere
can be no force I'm the objection 10 the
provision-only on the assumption mat
the official. being Of the opposite party
Of the voter would probably prepare the
ballot contrary 90 the directions OF the
voter: in other words. that the sDecldl
constable. being a Democrat or RepuDh-
can, as the case may be, VIII llkely per
lure himself i'm the interest OF MS partS.
This is most violent assumption, ana,
If carried 10 its logical conclusion; Woull
cast discredit upon every judge VINO pre-
sides. and every witness VINO testiHes III
"A cOntested-eiectiOn case, or Otner mat
ter Of a political nature. II would be 10
hold that a Judge cannot be trusted, nor
a witness believed. because he may be
corrupted, or may commit perjury 10
subserve party ends. This IS more IMAM
| am willing TO assume.
HOW IT HAS WORKED.
Does the experience we have had In the
operation of the act justify such an as
SUMPTION Since its passage We nave hdd
three general elections. There are 100
counties and Is cities. and ABOUT l,iyO
yoting-places i'm the State. and at each
precinct there was "A special constable
Al each election. I have not heard OF
an indictment being found. or even
charge preferred In form, against SIN
gle special constable in any county or
city. and this certainly speaks well Tor
the integrity OF the elections held under
the new system and. If they nave been
free from corruption ana fraud. why
amend this provision OF the law "Striy,
ing to better. Of we mar what Wen.
IL may be said that the illiterate voter,
I'm the nature of things. could not detect
fraud i'm the special constable. Detectl0h
is easy, and so vigilant have been the
opponents of the system X Is hatdiy
probable that they would have 50 utterly
failed 10 find single case TO present
If the law had not been honestly admins
tered
But II more than one constable Is insist,
ed upon how many would be suggested
| imagine of course, one for eacn party
having a ticket. and one for each lnde,
pendent candidate. Each constable Wouln
then be- present as the representative ana
partisan Of his party or candidate. Every
illiterate voter upon entering the poll
ing-place, unless he intended 10 deceive,
would clearly indicate how ne intended
To vote by the constable ne would Sc
lect 10 prepare his ballot and the secrecy
of the ballot would thereby be destroyed;
He would virtually proclaim his v0(e, ana
the way for the use OF money, now
closed. would be opened up. and full play
would be given again 10 class and race
influence and intimidation. II may be
urged that with one constable the secrecy
OF the ballot is destroyed. This is true
to the extent of the officials knowledge
this from the nee ssity Of the case-but,
under the proposed amendment. the voter
will be compelled to disclose his inten-
lions. not TO one man, as now, but TO
the Judges. clerks. and all the special con-
stables present.
LET BALLOTS BE UNIFORM.
Taking everything into consideration.
la FtSft lfr
vision outweigh the advantages OF the
proposed amendment With one constable
there is only possible dishonesty in the
preparation OF the ballots OF the illiterate
and blind: with more than one constable
there is certain destruction Of the sccre-
cy Of the ballot. or a disclosure perhaps.
tenfold greater than now. and renewal
u the evils OF intimidation. money cor