The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1895-11-01

last night was we'll attended The
house was filled and WAS by far the
largest political meeting held since the
campaign started. The large number
Of voters assem- bled listened attontively
to the honest elections principles as ex.
pounded by Gen. James a. Walker and
Colonel Hoge.
B Laoy Hoge first came to the front
and after paying his respects to the OBJ
position candidates by referring to the
positions occupied by Messrs. Watts
end Berkeley regarding the Miller bill
aud the course OF Mr.. Watts in trying
to explain away his action concerning
the Gas &nd Water bill, Of which he
was patron, Mr.. Hoge said:
why didn't Mr.. Watts set himself
right with the people OF Roanoke by
Offering to them an explanation OF his
conduct when condemnation meetings
were being held by the City Council and
Indignation meetings by the citizens of
this city? Why did he undertake, in an
interview in THE TIMES. to explain
the matter away by saying he had
merely introduced the bill by request,
and when 1t WAS shown that he was the
patron OF the bill change his tactics and
admitted the fact, but that he had be-
come the patron in order to protect the
interests Of the people of this city?"
The fallacy OF the Rowan letter was
shown up in 8 mastery manner.
Mr.. Hoge then in few we'll chosen
words introduced the speaker of the
evening, Gen. James A. Walker. The
General Is pleasing nnd entertaining
speaker. He said il part that he was
not here to advocate the cause OF the
Republican or any other party, but to
advocate cause which Is fraught with
az much danger to the liberties OF the
people as tho cause for which he fought
in tho dark days from '62 to '05.
81 am here to speak upon an issue
which rises above party ties and party
principles, and which affects the whole
Ieople alike II you are Democrat,
Republican, Prohibitionist or Populist,
do not come to you and ask you to lay
down your principles, but do come to
ask men OF all shades Of political opin-
ion to come together on one com mon
battle-ground and unite themselves in
one band OF struggling heroes and fight
to secure to the old State honesty in
the administration of pu bile affairs and
purity at the ballot box.
Let us come together and conquer
fraud and corruption, and let party
chickering's alone until the old enemy OF
dishonesty at tho ballos box is buried
forever" He ci,ed the case of ballot
box stuffing, which recently occurred In
Radford, and said: "Then, am I wrong
when ask the voters of all political
parties to stand shoulder 30 shoulder
with noe in this great fight? l have
N a atnu he
the Democratic party; but the riDgstors
and tricksters who are running the
machinery Of the Democratic party are
the biggest SGT of rsscals that ever Lrod
the soil of this State"
The General then took up the Ander-
SON. Mccormick Walton election law and
in forcible and impressive manner
showed the people that 1t was one Of the
most partisan of laws, aud offers more
opportunities for fraud than any law
ever concocted or framed by legisla-
tive body.
SIN the first place." he said, 1.-THE
partisan judges of The State are elected
by the Democ.a N .chiue caucus. The
judges then appoint pnrtisan elec .oral
BOARD for each city and county. This
partisan electoral board then elect par
tisan registrars for each precinct in the
Stale and these registrars can be re-
moved by the electoral hoard when they
please and without cause"
He then showed to the people the OPP
portunities OF the N achine-m ade regis.
Irars to commit fraud, and cited many
instances in which they had perpetrated
fraud and were protected by the ma
chine. He told the people how the pres.
ent law gives the registrars power to
copy the books and omit certain names,
but that 1t always turned out that the
man who was cut of WAS OF differe at
belief from the registrar politically.
Inc arrangement for the purging of
the poll books was handled to the salts
faction OF all who wish for honesty in
politics and our elections. He further
said:
This partisan electoral board ap-
points three partisan judges of election
and these judges can challenge any no an
and prevent his voting and they can
wrangle over q challenged voter until
the sun goes down and leave hundreds
OF voters temp rarily disfranchised
under the pretense of not having time
in which to allow him to vote.
"The next thing is the partisan
electoral returning board. which counts
the votes and throws out whole pre-
cinets when it is necessary to cleo their
ticket.
1.-THE constable feature of the present
law was instituted in order to make
villainy and fraud In elections easy.
Only partisan Democrats are appointed
as constables, aud an honest constable
never acts more than once. The con.
stable on the inside Ia the agent and
willing tool OF the corruptionist out.
side.
ut helps men to cover up their crime
and viliany. When vote is purchased,