Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-09-12
SEPT. IL, 1879.
A Suggestion a. to the walton LAW.

Whilst we have claimed that the Demo
Gratis are the proper persons to perfect
the Walton-law, we have raised no Cd
iections 10 any desirable amendment oil
that law which has been proposed any
where or by anybody. Here is sugges-
ton from the Clnch Valley News:
I'VE say that the experience Of tho
people of Rockbridge with regard to
the secret features OF the law ~ salts
factory. and they would not Willingly re-
turn 20 the old system, but the law IS
very unsatisfactory in some respects, and
badly needs amendment We refer par
ticularly 10 the constable feature. me
duties Of the office OF constable are found
unpleasant by the constables and distaste-
full 10 the voters The Office Is altogether
unnecessary. as shown by the practice
in other States. The necessity for as
sisting iliterates generally can be done
away with by grouping the names of each
party's candidates together on the TICKET
and putting over each group OF candidates
q pictorial emblem. Thus by moderate
circulation OF sample tickets each voter
would soon be able TO understand. and be
would then be able 10 vote the ticket of
his choice without assistance. Such az
stu found assistance necessary could re-
ceive IL from one of the judges. Let The
constable feature of the Walton law De
done away with
The Rockbrdge County News endorses
The Clinch Valley News NJ follows:
.sThe News says amen to the above.
Not because we believe all the yarns we
read about the preparation of fraud by
The constables. bal that the bowling being
done by some Of our Overzealous contem,
torarles might be silenced. II such a
thing IS possible
This is not very good reason for doing
away with an unobjectonable law; but
we give II as one Of the amendments to
the Walton-law which have been suggested
bv ts friends. These are the men who
ought to be asked 10 perfect IL.
In few localities indeed has the Walton
law been characterized by Democrats as
unsuted to the purposes of honest cleo
lions. In these localities we suppose
there have been incapable, inefficient or
Enthusiastically constables. The meetings
that have passed such resolutions have
no doubt spoken for their people; GER
tainly they were authorized to speak for
no others.
sisted that this issue should be fought
out within our party lines, and we
have no complaint 10 make Of any Demo
cratic meeting that has expressed It's
views on this subject. On the con-
trary. it Is the course that We have re-
commended. We hope to ind much wis
dom in the multitude of counsel
The subject IL one of the greatest I'M
portance and II IL cannot be satisfactorily
disposed OF by the Legislature, then we
must revise our Constitution, so that the
Souths!de and Tidewater counties Of
Virginia shall not be given over 10 the
control Of an ignorant and venal class OF
voters. Our friends In Halifax have de-
clared against the Walton law Now,
while suggestions are being made as 10
how the Walton law may be improved
or substituted by better one. we should
like 10 be made acquainted with their
plan.
There is certainly one great advantage
In the Walton law which we hope Will
not be done away with and this is that
At removes the temptation of buying and
selling votes. And yet some Of the most
active opponents Of the law in some OF
the counties are men whose greatest
grievance against II is that it. interferes
with their money-making at the polls.
The buying and selling of votes had
become the practice In some of the coun-
ties of this State previous TO the adoption
OF the Walton law. but has now en-
tirely disappeared-a thing that all fair
minded opponents of the law should not
fan TO credit it with whilst they are
discussing it's merits and dement's. The
fact is that in adopting the Australian
ballot system we have come as near per-
fection in our first law as any other
State has done. In every State where
the system Is In use Il has been found
necessary TO alter an damend. revise and
improve Il. as experience suggests, All
this the Democrats Of the Virginia Gene
raj Assembly will do. and. well knowing
this. our people are expressing their views
az to what changes should be made. and
are instructing their representatives, ac-
cordingly. and are firmly refusing to be
beguiled into she ranks OF the new Ma.
hone party.