The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-01-05
SOUTHERN ELECTIONS.
REFORMS MUST COME, EVEN IFN0T'
MADE BY DEMOCRATS.
Legislatures sabjsct to Chsngs-Now 10 the
Opportune Time. While the Dsmecrsts
Can Direct Liquidation In the South.

The Washington correspondent OF the
Baltimore Sun writes that paper:
While 1t is true that all possible iegis-
lation upon elections, or upon any ques-
ton in every Southern State, is In the
hands of the Democrats, except North
Carolina, the fact should no- be for
gotten that Legislatures are subject to
change In the future. Great. there
fore. is the duty which devoIves upon the
Democrats while they have power to
improve the existing laws. 1t Is use
less to discredt the movement for bet
ter election methods. They must con-
front IT, and the earlier the better.
Some Democratic leaders are disposed TO
oppose the agitation for improved cleo
tions laws, and TO cast discredit upon
many of those favoring the movement.
SENTIMENT IN VIRGINIA.
\ gentleman from Virginia who Is
familiar with Democratic sentiment in
that State said to-day:
"Of the number of men who want
Office probably not more than one In
fifty asks for IL. The others merely
wait and hope They think they are
next every time, but they fail to get
anything. They are disappointed and
dissatisfied sometimes without knowing
it, and when some agitation Is started,
they join in with those responsible for
it's origin and nope TO better their
chances for political preferment There
are many men OF this character behind
the ballot reform movement In the South,
and while their object Is worthy one
their motives may not be so admira-
BILE.
COMING ISSUE.
$50 far as Virginia is concerned. the
question will be made an issue. but II VIII
be local one. Each legislative dis
trlct will decide for itself whether its
representatives i'm the Legislature snail
favor a change in the election laws, ana
also how such change can best ne
brought about. There are some tintd
enough to fear that ballot reform agi-
tation is not a particularly wise move
from a Democratic standpoint, for the
simple reason that the seats of all but
three OF the Democratic representatives
are to be contested TN the next House.
but how the agitation will affect a Re-
publican House, which will do as IL
chooses anyway. IS not readily seen. The
operation of the Walton law which did
not prove absolutely satisfactory in the
last election, would have been good
enough, ndu I'LL tHt Not'iS ppSStSStu
sufficient intelligence to mark their bal
lots correctly. AS 1t was a number of
votes were thrown out because of tech
meal errors. and contests are 10 be
made upon this circumstance alone. The
Republicans and Populists. oyerwhem-
ingty defeated. claim that none but Re-
publican or Populist votes were thrown
out but this was not the case
srN,rop vsJSu'S VIEWS
Regarding the general movement Sem
ator Walsh, OF Georgia, said to-day:
There is probably not Democrat in
the Senate who does not believe in an
honest election. The ballot IS the foun-
dalton of American liberty and Ameri-
can Institutions. and all movements that
tend to improve methods are in the right
direction. What the Southern States
need most are good registration laws.
They practically insure fair elections, be-
cause they prevent repeating, and show
the number of legal voters in each cleo
iion district. Georgia has already taken
this step. The last Legislature adopted
a registration law, and its operation in
the last election was to make it abso-
lutely fair. 1 am heartily in favor OF
ballot REFORM"