The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-11-14

The Roanoke Times says
w. roproauce this morning most IN
teresting article on the result Oh '.e
cent election in Virginia from me III"
nond Times. While we 90 mo- %
,.,,h IN. Richmond paper that the re-
markable changes noted were p'CusHs
about by Organism. Popallslh anu ne
s,Ivsr" we republish it in order that
nemocrats may read it and proht by H.
rho facts and figures furnish-
"a are calculated to make the
democratic hair stand on emu
The article shows conclusvely that Dut
for Democratic gains in the black peit
Virginia would now be IN the -dchln'ey
,'oInmn The article further shows that
the Democrats In the "hlts COUNTS 80
Going over TO the Republicans by the
thousands. Whether they have taken 10
the Republican camp on account OF the
silver question or whether they nave
adopted this method of showing their
disgust at Virginia election rascaiity IL
Is difficult TO say. This mucn, however
* certain: Unless the real Democrats
of Virginia rise in their might ana puri-
fv their party they Will at no Instant
day receive the reward OF those VINO so"
the wind. The wrongs Gf any that may
fellow an honest ballot viii be but tenn
porary. To uphold a political party by
dishonest methods and to teach our chill
dren that IL is proper TO rob the ballot
box is but paving their way 10 oesre-
dation and the State prison.
Here is an interesting study. and the
more so when taken In connection with
an article Of similar import In this paper
Yesterday. in which We showed loss to
the Democratic party OF Virginia OF more
than twenty thousand votes az compared
with the election of 1892.
That this detection has been brought
about by Organism. Popuism. and free
silver. we do not doubt. but we 90 not
believe that It is a permanent detection
unless the silver wing OF the party choose
20 make Il 80. IL is a well-known tact.
that there are Vlrginians. hitherto In
afllstion with the Democratic party
whose sympathies are with the policies
of the Republican party but they are Few
as compared with the great body OF
whites. virginians are by education,
Democrats but they are not
Popunsts also and the ultra
declarations of the Chicago plat
form drove many away for the time
from the Democratic organization.
There is no doubt that fraudulent cleo
ton methods also drove many to protest
at the polls against these practices. The
Times Is one OF these. We could not
and cannot support Organism, Populism
and free silver. and VIC could not and
cannot countenance election trickery
The Times has been accused of being
overtime. We do not think the charge
is well-foundcd The Times has held that
free silver would necessarily result in the
repudiation Of contracts made In gold or
on .he gold basis. and we cannot see how
II could result otherwise, especially In
view OF the resolution passed by the Chi
eago Convention. But that VIC have
meant TO say. az some of our critics have
charged. that all who advocate free coin.
are were repudiationists is not only I'M
lust but absurd. We believe that many
free silver advocates were mistaken In
their estimate of the rise in the price of
silver and OF the good results 70 follow
free coinage. but we accorded TO them as
a class the same honesty and sincerity
that We claimed for ourselves In advocacy
OF the gold standard We would say,
therefore. to any such who have been Of
tended In this score that nothing that The
Times has SAID could be justly construed
as offensive. In its zeal FOR sound money.
The Times has used strong language on
occasions, but il has never deliberately
set out 10 stigmatiso or offend any hon
est opponent. We say this In no spirit
Of apology, but In vindication Of our
claim 70 having conducted cur discussion
OF the financial question in temperate
and Just manncr-renGering 20 every one
due consideration.
Another thing. Our critics would make
1t appear that The Times has branded
with fraud the election officers OF the en-
tire State. Nothing could be farther
from the ruth. The Times has repeated