The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-02-13
Dispatchs editorial of February Sth)


Times demanded that the Dispatch should
not 'desecrate the name Of fairness by
/ saying that the election was FAR
There's no mon sequitur" about that
nor about the further proposition OF Inc
| Times that thousands Of iiliterate voters
were either deprived Of their votes, or
they had them counted tor candidates.
that they were opposed to- II The
! Times does not wish 10 question the
! 1lSht Of Mckinney, Otey, tucker and
! Tyler 10 their seats, why is II so very
! Indignant with the Dispatch for asserting
! that the elections were fair and that our
| candidates were fairly elected? Why,
! indeed?
| Mr.. Borland the Republican candidate
! for Congress in the Norfolk district,
/ started out TO contest the seat OF Mr..
! Tyler with the same sort Of bumptuous
| confidence that The Times displays when
! II says. as 1t did last Tuesday, that the
| Democrats of Virginia in the last cam
| paisn cOncOcted masterpiece Of trick
cry By which thousands OF illlterate
voters were deprived of their votes but
Mr.. Borland has now found out that the
| task he undertook was very unpromls.nS
| and he has shown his wisdom by with
drawing from the contest. And The Tines
would better follow his example.
Now, what was the masterpiece Of
trickcry" which the editor of The Times,
a member of the State Democratic Com
mittee, has charged against his party?
Why. the alienation Of names on the
ballots-an arrangement which disturbe
no literate voter, nor any illlterate voter
who relied upon the special constable,
The ballOt-reader whom the law had
provided TO assist .n preparing the bal
lots Of all men unable To- prepare bal
los for themselves
Deep i'm the counsels of the party as
The Times must be- II must know that
our people never thought Of using tho
power that the law gave them OF alter
mating the names on the ballots until
the Noon circular appeared. This
Noon circular" was circular Of IN
strucuons sent out to the Republican
voters of the Tenth district by John a.
Noon. secretary of the Republican COM
mittec, and advising, among other things,
that
"Whcn tho polls arc opened tho
quickest brightest, and most intelligent
Republican at Che precinct should vote
FIRST. Ha VIII have two miuu,es and
hale I'm the booth and can then make
the closest observation OF the ticket. and
Afterwards describe 10 90 the voter who
cannot read. explaining To him where
the name of a. No-t' is located on the
ticket ana what names to scratch out
This Noon plan (Which was adopted by
the Republicans I'm several countless led
some Of the voters into miln ght-dark-
ness. We doubt not for the officers Of the
law AZ once began 10 inquire il it WAS
not allowable for the electoral boards
10 alternate the names OF candidates.
The Hanover Electoral Board wrote 10 tn
Secretary OF the Commonwealth Cwho is
4.
the Walton election law. asking him ii
the board was required TO place the
names in any particular order. Secretary
Lawless. I'm turn. asked the Attorney
General Of Virginia. Aforementioned
scott gave as his opinion that the whole
matter Of arranging the names on tho
ticket (balloU was in the hands Of the.
electoral boards.
The Attorney-GeneraIs opinion was
that "the ballot-law preseribes no order
or arrangement for the names of candl-
dates upon The ballot" AS | construe
it Che said the arrangement and order
in which the candidates names are put |
upon the ballot is left 10 the discretion !
Of the electoral boards of the cities and /
counties of the Commonwealth"
The very circular from the Secretary |
Of the Commonwealth which informed |
the officers of election that a separate |
Ddllot-bOX would be required for the con- |
stitutional amendment ballots, contained |
he above quoted opinion Of the Attorney /
General as 10 the arrangement OF names |
IN the tickets. and this circular was sent
lut from the Secretary's Office IN due !
curse Of business. ami along with other
natter intended for the guidance Of cleo
oral boards SO much for the history OF
his circular which The Times of yester-
Law desired Wc ehouil give IL
Dispatchs editorial Of February GthD
THE TINES AND FRAUD IN ELEC-
TGONS.
The Times takes issue s1uaroly with
he Dispatch on the point that the elcc.
ions held in Virginia last November
we're fair, and is uncoHvcrted by the
eples of Harry Tucker Gardiner Tyler,
nd w. r.. Mckinney i'm answer 10 the
otices OF contest served upon them by
heir Republican opponents. We take it.
that The Times denies thar
'ucker, Tyler, and Mckehney are en-
tiled to the seats which they claim and !
-hich the State Board of Clnvassers
ave awarded to them. How else can
'e account for the Indignation Cf The
lines at the Dispatch's "dcsecrdtus the
anne of fairness by saying that the
lection was falr?'
The Times demands 10 know Of the Dis
atch If we think that it was right to
lternate the names Of the candidates on
be official ballOt-'d masterpiece OF
'ickery.' we believe IL calls H.. We
1swer thar We concur with Ales-rs.
yler, Mckinney, and Tucker that under
ie circumstances il was right and
roper to alternate the names MIR. Yost,
H. Thorp, and others had organized
,-called "ballot-schOols." with the Elk
-ess purpose Of ignoring the special con-
ables and defeating the spirit Of the
alton law, and the electoral boards
hose duty il was 10 have the official
illots stckets) printed exercised the
'ivilege that the law gave them to al ,
rnate the names on the tickets. But a,
fore the boards took any action i'm the
emises some one in public office had /,
cured the opinion of Attorney-Genera .
Taylor Scott and ascertained from
III that the order OF arrangement of ;
mes on the official ballot was matter
tireiy within the discretion OF the -
ard.
This opinion was printed in circular -
I'm and went all over the State. and as :.
any of the electoral boards as chose "
10 so exercised the privilege which ! :,
Scott said they had q
the electoral boards had the opinion .
the law-officer of this Commonwealth -
guide them and they used Their au- !,
ority to meet conspiracy organized >,
the Republican chiefs. Does The .
mes say that the Acknowledgement -
sstated the law? or. does The Times
Id that the authority conferred upon
? electoral boards was exercised by
2 boards without just cause? VIII ch?
Opinion Of the Attoney-General, fur
he'd the Secretary of the Common o.