The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-02-24

] defended on the ground that II enables
| the white people 10 control local COVER :
! ment. The end does not JUSTIFY -
! means. The remedy is worse tha'i Wv
i disease. and its injurious effect ~ mo.
! lasting. Perjury and deceit aHonss. oI'''
| Gals and liberation OF ana escus'S '".
! for will have worse cNect uPoh "a" '
| body polite than VIII negro sup e'''a
| a determined effort Will free us from the
! latter: the bad effects OF the ioiii'
will be felt for generation.
This f. as true as gospel. When fraud
and thievery APE once tolerated at all
all honesty is gone. II we stand by ana
shut our eyes to the fact that our elec-
,,on officers stuff the ballot-bOxes 10
heat the negroes. VIC will by degrees come
N think that the stuffins e ballOt-boxes
&, not such a bad thing after all, and VIC
shall ourselves begin to do that which we
have condoned in others. The consequence
Is. cheating in elections will extend from
the cheating of the negroes to the cheat
Ing Of the whites, and from cheating IN
elections to cheating in everything else.
The French have a saying that contains
4 world OF philosophy "Ce nest que lie
premier pas qui coute." and, If we come
to tolerate frauds in elections we VIII
soon loose our repugnance TO fraud, and
cheat any person about anything. when
ever we find it TO our interest TO do so.
Captain BIackford h as put his finger ex-
actly upon the raw SPOT Of the case
when he says that the whole question
relates TO the character OF the men who
are sent to execute the election laws. Hon
est administrators OF the worst law
WIZ produce honest and fair results for
the election Dishonest administrators OF
the law will produce dishonest results.
never mind vhat the provisions or the
law may be. The essential thing, there
fore. under any system whatever is TO
take every precaution possible TO secure
honest election officers TO hold the cleo
lions. Whatever the best system to secure
this end may be, IT is perfectly evid mt
that ours is the very worst that can be
devised. The selection of our election
officers is committed entirely TO the Coun-
" Electoral Boards, and these are all
composed Of paitisans of one party only,
appointed by the members Of the Legisla-
turc. The other party has no representa-
ton I'm them whatever. What is the re-
suit in many places? The electora! boards
apr ONT two dishonest Democrats as the
judges of election at each precinct. and
one nominal Republican, but where
cheating prevails, he is always a stool
pigeon Rcpublican-some worthless negro
or more degraded white man, who can
be bought to do anything for ten-doilar
noto. This being done, there is no aim
Guilty about making the bailot-boX pro-
duce any result that may be desired.
This whole system loud be cut up by
the roots. and the appointment of the
judges of election be iNoc TO the Coun-
~ Courts. This will insure TWO real Dem
ocrats and one real Republican as the
judges Of election, and We shall have
honest elections again.
Captain Blackford has one paragraph
in his letter which merits special notice.
lie says:
Negro supremacy. I believe, can be
averted by earnest and united effort on
tho part of our party, coupled with the
Honest use of the Dallot-boX. 1t may at
times be necessary to use force and viz
lence. Such a remedy would be heroic
and disagreeable, but 1t would be enec-
tive and manly. 1t would not. Ike peril
~ and fraud. permanently demorallze the
people. The 'Danville riot as it is call
Ell. did moro to Larmonize the races IN
Virginia than anything which has hap
pcned since the fatal gift of suffrage was
bestowed upon the negro. I trust no oc-
casion for such a remedy may again
arise. but should It do so. it is iGfntely
preferable to frlud. 1t is = ore honest,
more manly, ami the relief IS not only
quicker but mere lasting"
Now, we presume that Captain Black
lords suggestion of force and violence
in preference TO fraud is made in much
t1e same spirit that a similar preference
was expressed year or more ago by
The Times. which from mat day until
now has been rolled as a sweet morsel
under the tongues Of those who rejoice
In fraud and perjury. We do not conceive
Of a case II WHICH violence VIII De ne
,essary for the protection OF civilization
and that is what fraud and perjury says
[ works for under a system Of admin
stration of laws wherein honesty and
n proper forbearance between men VIII
prevail even though majority of the
voters may be negroes. The alternative
Of force was presented as against fraud
force being in any event "A remote posi-
bility. while fraud was present, mon
strous, growing evil.
Between these alternatives we do not
see how an honest and brave man can
hesitate. Nor do we believe that many OF
our people. who viii reflect for a moment. /
will hesitate TO dencunce as they VIII |
,bhor fraud. and in this opinion Captain |
3lackford will agree with us he has I'M |
ioubtedly expressed the opinion of nine .
,ut of ten of all fair and square Viz
,inians.
y a.