Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-10-27
Complete Dissection Of The Honest
Elections" Bill.
lit AGAINST WALKER.
sample Sentences FROM . South
western Virginia Democrats
speech made In Answer 70 General
james A. walker.
rorrespondenc. Of the Dispatch.)


tCorrespondencs Of the Dispatch)
IONESYILI.E, VA, October "a
fairer day never dawned upon a fairer
land than greeted the senses OF the hun.
dreds who assembled here Monday to
hear the Joint discussion between Gene
raj J. A. walker and Hon. J. +. Bulitt.
Jr. The Republicans. ~ usual. claimed
the day, and insisted that MIR. Built,
should lead on In one hour and forty
nve minutes. General Walker to follow In
the same time, with each to have fifteen
minutes to reply. These terms were
agreed to. and the speaking commenced
promptly at IL.
The courthouse was crowded TO over
flowing. and, judging from the applause,
the speakers received from time TO u'he'
the crowd was about equally divided
They listened to the debate With fap'
attention, and with but few interruptions
from start to finish. Each speaker was
courteous to the other. and the genera
verdict was that the county never Eau
the Measure of listening to more IN
teresting or better-conducted and oeceht
Joint debate IN the part OF botn SPEAKERS
and audience.
II ia impossible to give even synopsis
Of ALI that was said. The chief points
made by Mr.. Built were that the he'
publicans did not wish 10 DISCUSS inc
tariff because tho Wilson bill. as amend
ed and passed. was giving entire satis'
faction: that 1t was now yielding more
revenue than the current eAlehuitutes
of the government and the prospects
were that the excess OF receipts 'ove:
expenditures would gradually and surely
increase as the times improved, ana that
the times we're improving there could be
no doubt lie then went on 10 sbo"
the Improvement in business, particular!
An fhe iron and coke and coal industries
in this section, especially at big stone
Gap. and in Virginia and throughout the
South generally. The Republicans had
nothing 10 offer on this subject, except
the nomination Of Mckinley and another
four years OF tariff agitation in case
they should be successful al Inc polls
in 1896.
SICK AND TIRED OF BOTH.
,ry,a countrv was sick and tired of both
nm MCKINLEY and the Mckinley bill.
So. on other issues, they would find no
fault with the Democrats, and hence IL
was that General Walker proposed 10
oonfine his discussion TO fair elections
as ne called IL.
On this subject Mr. Bullitt said that so
Tar as Southwest Virginia was concerned,
the charges against the Democrats o.
fraud and corruption were untrue ana
slanderous; that the race between Morf.
son and Walker proved this, that General
Walker should be the last man on earth
10 attack the Walton law; that COM
parfson OF the vote in the race In this
county between Spencer and Blanken-
ship lust before the Walton law and be-
tween Coins and Blankenship last spring
showed this. because the Democratic and
Republican vote at the various precincts
was nearly Identical. and the totals like
wise almost the same. the Democratic
majority In the one case being "a and
in the other o.
He ran over the list OF the electoral
board and constabies in Lee county, and
defied his opponent TO make one specific
charge OF fraud against any Of them.
ONE AMENDMENT.
He said the Walton law needed one
amendment, but with this amendment II
would be very perfect law. The amend
ment needed is to do away with the
constable, or rather TO prohibit him from
entering the booth. or from assisting the
illiterate In preparing ballots, and de-
voive this duty upon the judges requiring
them to simply put q pencil check-maril
opposite all the names which voter
wishes to scratch. and then hand the
ticket to the voter and let him retire TO
the booth by himself and there do the
scratching for himself
In this way illiterates could vote their
sentiments as safely and surely as the
best OF scholars, and no one on earth
would know how they had voted, because
the voter would. If he wished, scratch
the names not checked, and thus would
bribery and intimidation both be pre-.
vented.
WHAT DO THEY WANT?
But what does this alleged Fair
Elections party want? "They propose"
said the speaker, two constables--one
Democratic and one Republican. The
eighty-fourth section OF the Petersburg
Malone Walker-G leavers combination bill
provides that any elector from any cause
or reason who may desire assistance in
preparation Of his ballot shall have the
right to call to his assistance for such
purpose either of the supervisors Of the
precinct he may choose! Now We begin
TO see tho niger in the wood-pile.'
Their main objection to the Walton law
IS the constable feature. They say the
constable can follow a noater out, and
crook the right thumb If he has voted
right. or the left thumb II he has voted
wrong, and thus surely inform the Demo.
cratic purchaser as TO whether the goods
have been delivered. But when we come
TO analyze their proposed bill we find
they don't want to stop bribery, but
simply want greater facilities TO bride
themselves They come with unclean
hands! The door OF equity should be
closed to their appeal.
Again, i charge that this wonderful
production Of this wonderfully fair COM
bination Is a carefully-devised scheme,I
to enable the nomadc negro to vote
wherever he may be; although he may
not have been In the State or county for
more than ten days. charge that
under this law a thousand negroes would
move from Richmond city to Lee county
eleven days before the election and re-
gtster and vote in Lee county and 10
home without fear Of punishment
This is a startling charge. Let US
look to the proof Of H.:
"Under the law as II now stands the
registrar Is not to register any applicant
until he tthe registrar Is satisfied that
the voter has lived In the State one
year. the county three months. etc. If
the registrar decides wrong, an imme-
date appeal may be taken to the County
Judge. By sections 30 and q OF their
proposed act the registrar is bound to
register any one who may apply. pro-
vlded he will make an oath Us 10 his
qualifications, although the registrar may
personally know that tie applicant Is
swearing falsely; and by section q; il