The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-10-02

meetiuz TO order. He stated that the
meeting was called In the interests OF
pure government and honest politics. He
said that they had no objections 10 the
Democratic party as a party but they d!d
object 10 dozen or so men running a
machine and grinding out votes as they
saw fit lie said they wished to get the
ministers TO meet with them, and they
wanted them to teach the people not 10
steal their votes. just as they taught men
not TO steal chickens and other things De-
longing to their nelshoors. The meeting,
ire said was not a political one. they had
no intention Of discussing the issues o.
the day but just wished 20 reason To-
gether 20 get AZ the best means ~ secur-
ing honest elections. -
lie then introduced the Rev. @. =.
Williams as the nrst speaker OF the
evening.
ELECTIONS DISHONEST.
Mr.. Williams said Il was the first idea
Of every man TO wish for honest elections
ile did not believe, he said, that lhels
had been an honest election IN the CITY ot
Richmond. the State Of Virginia. OF e.en
the United States. since the -. men
went 20 the polls ne said. and their votes
We're counted In way they never ~
tended. lie said ne thought u Were ~,
ter for a man 10 Jet the party 70 wnDm
he was opposed win. II they could DO 50
honestly than for his own party 10 WIZ
by fraud and corruption. lie lald Srea1
sfrass upOr accomplishing things by nov
est means lie would rather, ne sain'
that his right hand should oe paisied man
that 10 should east a dishonest hall1t'
Il was time 20 call halt 10 machine
methods ~ the men who were manaS-
inc the pol.tics OF Richmond We're not
doing honest work they should De Jet Sc
vcrelv alone. The time was coming ir
said. whom tho right would triumph Tnen
mo principles OF the religion of jesus
Christ would DE the criterion Of all ac-
tions. This was n meeting FOR the ger
Grafton of such ur!nciples now Was me
time 10 begin this work. lAe halitri.,T,
he said was small. on; all great things
had had small beginnings. -
Nr Williams closed his address Dy
calling tho attention Of his audience 10
tie fact that their duty AT the appIo1,e"-
ing election was a serious thlns anu tl,S
must hc guided by high and religious pu'-
poses.
ME M'CULLoCHs VI vs.
Mr. NcCulloch. Of Manchester. was the
rcyt sneaker he congratulated the
gathering upon the fact that the ministers
had been moved 10 take part IN discus
siCns concerning the approaching e.
ton The whole hope OF the commune
rested upon pure government, when
could only he obtained by pure pa.iut
and an honest count. Now was tiie
time he thought. to abolish machine
methods which had dragged the party
down as low as Tammany mao nees
brought He commended and advised
the emulation I'm Richmond ot the cause
OF DR.. Parkhurst. which had wrop sAt sue"
great good IN New York.
At this point the speaker was inter-
rupted by q gentleman IN the audience
who said his name was Byron. lie pc
gan 20 call the attention of MI McN ul-
ioch TO the fact that he had been baaly
treated by some organization OF "hlsI
Mr.. NcCullOch was a member, ana Halh
be- thought there was no use IN gong 10
New York 20 discuss reform. Mr. Mc'ui-
lo.h said that he thought the matter a
little irrevclant, that he thought honest
elections We're being discussed. ne
honest By all means said Mr.. Byron
that's what am after"
Just here another gentleman arose In
the audience and said: Mr. Byron'
have been carving you littlebul FOR "a
long time past. II you want honesty,
Why don't YOU pay itt'
This remark brought down tho house
and Byron after shaking his fist threaten
ingly az the man with the bill subsided.
Mr.. NcCullOch then concluded ms
speech by urging his hearers TO stand
first for honest elections, and 70 fight
against machine methods.
cHAInsAN DAWSON.
Mr.. 1r. l.. Dawson. chairman Of the
city Democratic Committee. was next
called uuOu lie made - ringing speech.
saving that 10 was his purpose. as '1e
officer in charge OF the Democratic co..
/ mlttec 20 give the people a fair bal
and an honest count. There was no pat y
/ under the sun, he said. which could DO
more for the people as long rs its poll
ties were pure. than the party under
which our f0refathers lived. Mr.. Daw-
son concluded 10y saying that u was DIS
aim. and should be that Of every man,
10 send abroad the name of RlcaWoud as
O. city where every honest mans vote
I could be honestly counted.
lir. James Nelson Wood made bricf
address along the same line, asserting
I'm the state for long time, and that the
Walton law was defective In many re-
spects.
JOHN ]. FRS.
Mr.. John T.. Epps was then called
upon Mr.. Epps said that there was now
a worse lot OF politicai mach.nisla I'D
Richmond than ever before. ne salg trhl
FL was mis- onini0n that the chief oi Ponce
ana Chief OF Fire Department oueAt not
10 be- elected by the people. but he saw
no reason why tnc Fire COMMISSIONERS
should not be-. hir. Epps said Dc object
od strongly TO the newspapers cai'i,e 80
many of the voters "heelcrs and bum
i've tenor Of Air. Epps' remarks. which
were frank ana candid. did not seem TO
were received with little applause.
Chairman Redms made the closing
s,aach. saving that he was disappointed
that the expected ministers mad not an
peared. bur that this was but prelude
Ia a number Of meetings OF tho same
character. and he trusted that Ricnmoni's
preachers would be heard from az another
time
sCQEVD THE cArDIDAr7s.
About election times. said Mr.. Reams
the candidates begin 10 make the round or
the bar-ro0ms. they have n regular beaieh
path. ard q crowd follows in their wake
Ha wanted candidates who could be- elect
81 ,vffhoilt spending 4 dollar-noncst men
-recardless of party. Mr.. Reams went
/ On 10 sneak Of the dirty work that was
dome In these campaigns saying that
/ he had dreamed about the methods. now
/ the candidates spent their money ifeely'
and how they Afterwards mahas'p 10 ~
! fnhursc themselves. He made no charges
/ hs aid. he had simply dreamed about II.
/ TIinga had reached such cO1cluon' ne
nat p man could not run for elec-
/ ton honestly.
EuM THE MAcRiNT.'
/ pun MIR. Reams asserted, WAS the ma
! chine that ran politics now, that was the
] demon that had 20 be fought and destroy /,
| "a before pure and honest elections ana
t s-oof government could be secured
/ A. this iuncture Mr.. Byron, the IRE
| ,rees,hle. arose again. and said re wished
J HE chairman would give the audience
/ some .-fOrmauOn. a., -, A.,
] "yyhat do YOU want 10 hear sali MI
/ Roams you seem 10 know II all now.
] Mr. Byron subsided amidst uproarlous
! laughter. and the chairman declared the
/ meeting adjourned.
GEOUNDS md BUILDING.
.rh. Committee Transact "A Good Deal OF
! t.n.ine.. of Little Importance.