The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-11-16
THE ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE On ihA
ELECTION LAWS.


ELECTION LAWS.
The Alexandria Gazette says
Tho Walton, law is the best election law
that the Legislature of virginia unue'
existine cdrcum stances, couIu nave
ac,,s as every disnterested maa wiz
- voted under IL must acknONfuse'
20" r. Damocratic member e the Legs
,a,,,re who may vote for Its repeal VIII
A. himself no good. but mu N Marin
,rhe nropositon to amend il by proVldlhs
for a Republican as well as democratic
constable at each polling precinct wouiu
u,tery destroy the secrecy II INC uaho.
~ the illiterafe voter, as Inc fohuVai
complexion OF his ballot could be feaui,y
determined by that OF the cohs'aole
whose aid he might seek IN IT'S piep"'a
zion The law is as near perfect as II
can be. hut II II must be amended let
9, he nv striking out the whole constable
clause and providing for the fayment vi
a poll-tax as a prerequisite 10 Nc'ihS'
What is the meaning of mat express
sion. under existing circumstances
The best election law is that which en-
atles every voter TO vote jus; as he
desires to vote, and which makes IL GER
tain that his vote will be counted Just as
he cast II. Does the Gazette mean 10
say that the Walton law is the best that
could have been devised TO secure that
result? Ii would be mere affectation In
us TO pretend that we believe this to DC the
Gazette's meaning. The existing cir
cumstances" and the ''poll-tax" amend
ment explain very clearly what the Ga
zette means. The Gazette is cne of
those papers. like the Williamsburg ia
zette. that thinks the perfectly iair Cleo
tions The Times urges "are inimicM 10
the interests OF the white people or me
eastern counties" The existing cir
cumstsnces" mean thas the Gazette
thinks our Legislature should actually
disfranchise a large BODY of IA. No SrCes
while pretending TO tie for rcriectI' Far
elections This 'rhe Times will ne' er
consent TO. If any, negroes aust be
disfranchised. the part The Times VIII
take in doing it will be ny open methods.
but The Times will never consent TO
legislation that pretends 10 lie Intended
TO secure fun and fair voting fer all
voters but that is really intended to
be corrilptly administered. so as TO pre-
vent part of the lawful voters from
voting as they wish.
We suppose that the Gazette will
readily admit that we have properly in
terprcted its meaning. II we have not,
OF course our remarks nave 10 aDplica-
ton.
We are amazed 10 see the Gazette ad-
vocating another "poll-tax" requirement
for voters We should think that Vir-
gina's experience with ne poll-tax"
requirement ought TO satisfy any one II at
II is nothing but shelter for bribery nd
fraud ard that the utter overthrow re-
ce,ved in 1879 by the party that upheld
the "poll-tax' ought to satisfy the most
skeptical that Virginia will never again
tolerate such an abridgment Of the
suffrage.
We want 10 make one re mark upOn
the Gazette's proposition mat TWO con-
stables would give the voter away and
disclose how he voted. and we are main
~ impelled 20 this because a Richmond
special to the Baltimore Sun few days
back stated tina. the Governor would
present the same view in his coming mes
sage TO the Legislature. How would an
iliiterate negro. calling for the Republi-
can constable to mark his ballot. dis
close the way in which he voted! lie
may call for the Republican constable
AMI get him to mark the ballot. so that
lie may vote the Democratic ticket. and
ne may call for the Democratic constable
and get him to mark Il so that he may
vote the Republican ticket IT does not
follow. because a voter calls Cor the
services OF a particular constable. that
he proposes 20 vote that party's ticket. A
strong probability OF II arises. II is iiue.
bu; that probability may arise out Of
other circumstances. ana become just as
strong as II Is when he calls Tor "A par
t.culsr constable. 1t cannot be said
therefore. that calling for particular
constable discloses the voters vote. L,
does not. The secrecy OF his ballot is
stiil Just as effectually guarded as whe..
there Is only one constable. When
there 10 only one constable. and the
voter asko him to mark his ballot. the
secrecy Of the ballot no longer exists.
Nothing but the constable's oath pro-
tects it, secrecy. The constable's oath
would stiil protect its secrecy If ther,
were two contAbles. "a well as when
mare n only one. The same protection
Seuil sxlst, therefore. with two con-
G1ohlAo @ vita enc. The secrecy Of