The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-12-14

y r.
The Richmond correspondent oil ~"
Baltimore sun writes that paper d. 'o'
lows:
II is not improbable that the Demo
cratic leaders So ana OUt OF Inc Ars 'ai"
fure vs.! soon gui,uy confer az 10 tic
most judiciOgs action 10 take IN ~" no i,,
ter OF amending the walton 'IrcilQh ih .'
The most prominent anu i'i'u .m is ,a,isfied
befs OF the i,sity are guile Wen sd,lS l',,.
thai no fmpoffanf changes can sa'if
lie made 20 The existing law ~ ~ w
Nevcd 20 be the universal opinion ol
those most potential in party mahats-
mani that the constable feature Oh ING
law will not aut should not nc aittItu'
The whole question Is likely 20 ne HisP2S
ed of in caucus this couls NJ. 80
he The indications are t11t the changes
effected vni be !mmaicflai. lnlteu
States senator Martin. Governor - fti
rail- ex-GoVerpor re kinney. ana. WIFI
nossitlv one ar .Wo exceptions. all of
The members from The black reits arc
opposed 20 any change SeNeiai OF tIe
members who have amendments 10 oHti
10 IN. Walton Ian VIII present lhch,
sin,nlv TO satisfy a sentiment IN their
districts. and VIII rot OBJECT - 'he"
propositions are defeated.
For the good OF their own party. J.
not from sense Of duty TO the whole
people. the Democratic members OF the
Legislature would. III our opinion. mako
great blunder 30 make cmendrnchts 10
the election law without regard TO the
wishes OF the minority or opposition
members The Opposition have nearly
one-third Of the members OF the l-osisla-
ture These members and the const-
tuencies they represent are entitled TO be
heard. and to have their views considered
when the election laws arc under dis
e.. "a
llcan government 50 deny them tbs
hearing. And see what the contrary re-
suits IN. The Democratic members are
only a little more 'han tWO-thifds Of ALL
When these tvo-ihirds assemble In eau
Gus a bare majority of that iwo-thirds
prevails. and the minority is compelled
10 vote ia tho open Legislature for what
this bare majority Of the caucus resoiv-
Ell on. This is allowing one-third OF the
Legislature, TO control the whole body.
This is not Democratic, and Is a total
negation of eyerv idea involved in free
representative government Democratic
members of the Legislature who have
opinions of their own should refuse TO 80
into caucus upon general measures so
important 10 the vital interests OF all
,he people as the election laws. The pur-
pose OF all election laws should be TO
secure perfectly fair elections. and If a
Republican or popuDst can aid in secur-
ing that result his aid should bc welcom-
cd by every tue Democrat. caucus
can DO no more than 10 secure perfectly
fair laws. and the chance for securing
such Is certainly not diminished If all
propositions to amend are openly discuss
-4..fl
people Of Virginia We irnplorc our
Democratic brethren therefore 10 drop an
idea of connnng amendments of the
election laws 20 caucus amendments.
There can be no political issue between
parties If both are bent on securing a
perfectly fair election law.
But far more important than the state
ment regarding the caucus il the further
statement OF this correspondent that the
party leaders Of the Democratic party
have resolved that there stall he no
change In the law regarding the special
constable II is the almost universal be-
lief OF the people of Virginia that tnis
provision of the law was Incorporated
into Il TO enable those who control the
organization or the Democratic party 10
exclude illitcratc voters altogether from
their lawful right to vote or to cast then
votes ss the manlpuators OF tie cleo
lions desire them 20 be cast rather than
as the voters desire TO cast them. We
repeat. that this belief is universal. ana
u has been strengthened into a settled
conviction by what the people have seen
IN the elections so far neld under the
law. They have seen iiliterate white vot-
ers. as well as negroes. deferred from
Offering TO vote because they were n0l
willing to cast themselves biindfoided into
the hands of the constable They have
then seen The ballots gerrymandcd SO
as 10 mislead and trick ignorant voters Of
both colors. who attempted 10 vote az
their friends instructed them. They
have also seen results come from bal
lot-5oxes that satisfied them the consta-
BILE had put In foul work IN discharging
the functions OF his office.
There are some Virginaas who are base
by nature, and this sort OF business de-
liEht their. souls. But the great body
OF the white people OF Virginia arc fair
minded. truth-loying. caLdld and Just
men who abhor trickery and deceit
wherever IL il practiccd. II cur Legisia-
ture Is wise II VIII note. fIcm the result
OF elections In this State ever since the
Idea began TO get out that cur elections
were not what they should be. that the
white people are taking less and less
interest each year In the success of the
Democratic party. I'm the recent election
hardly one-h3lf OF the white voters went
to the polls. Ia the congressional cleo
ton one year ago Genera, james a.
Walker carried the Ninth district, when
has very iew negroes by 5000 majority.
sensible Democrats should note these
facts and see Ia them danger signal
This apathy and Indifference to Demo
cratic success amongst the white people
3 1ixSinia ere largely duo 70 ths vide