Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-02-03
DISCUSSION OF THE WALTON LAW.
An Argument I'm Favor of Doing
Away with the Constable.

An Argument I'm Favor of Doing
Away with the Constable.
To the Editor OF the Dispatch:
Although the election-law which Is at
present In force is loudly condemned by
the parties out of power it would seem,
with q few simple amendments, to be
most excellent law. because 1t would
absolutely prevent bribery and fraud, and
thereby command the respect Of intelii-
gent and falr-mlnded men of all parties.
To accomplish this most desirable end It
would be necessary first to abolish alto
gether the special constable" feature,
and allow no one to enter the booth
with the voter or TO see his ballot be-
fore IT is cast. and, second, to make II
absolutely obligatory that no two of the
judges shall be Of the same political
party.
AS a result OF the first amendment
the whole i4terate vote would, of neces-
sity, " caft by accident, and as the
would-be brfber could not see the goods
delivered he would of course, refrain
from offering a bride
IL may be said that this amendment
would practically disfranchise the Hit
crate voter, and political demagogues who
desire TO control this vote would, no doubt.
for time howl about the sentimental
or imaginary rights Of which the Hitter
ate voter was deprived. Upon examna-
ton, however. it would appear that no
injury would be committed against the
voter by requiring him to qualify him
self to vote intelligently without help or
else cast his vote by chance.
Indeed, such required qualification
would seem to be eminently just and
proper, because II Is obviously useless to
furnish a man a tool that he Is altogether
unable TO use. AS the State furnishes
free education, II the illiterate person
does not chose to qualify himself 10 vote
intelllgently it is his own fault, and 1t Is
by no means proper for the State TO
defeat the secrecy OF the ballot and
open the doors to bribery by appointing
either one or more "constables' or other
persons to prepare and practically cast
the vote of so-called voter.
II the State appoints only one person
to perform this duty. then the party
70 which that person belongs can fire.
quently buy votes and make private ar
rangements with the constable, so as to
be informed as to the delivery OF the
goods. If the State appoints a "consta-
be able to buy and see the goods delivered.
The experience of the past proves that
penal laws utterly fail TO prevent bribery.
and 1t would, therefore appear that abb
solute secrecy can alone preserve the
purity OF the ballot. and consequently
no person should be allowed to assist the
voter or to see his ballot.
Touching the second amendment sug-
gested. If no two of the judges are OF
the same political party, and If each
Judge Is nominated by the different par
ties interested. the opportunity for fraud
will be reduced to a minimum, and II
provision IS made for like organization
OF the returning board the public will
have absolute confidence In the fairness
Of the elections and returns
Under these amendments the flliterate
vote being cast by chance. would about
balance itself. so that practically the
result of every election would depend
altogether on the intelligent vote, and
the appeal being made TO the highest
attribute Of the human race. the result
would be about as near right as we can
hope to attain I'm this world.
JAMES II ROBERTSON.
Mt. Vince Pos.-Oftice, Buckingham
county, Va.