The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-09-05

The Dispatch thinks The Times has
done it al injustice in quoting a part Of
its article OF August 25th, without the
context.
Wen, The Times never does any one
an Intentional injustice. and as the Dis
patch thinks The Times readers should
see the sentences quoted in their setting.
we here quote the whole OF the Dispatch's
editorial pertaining TO the matter, as
follows.
That there have been frauds in our
elections. We cannot but believe. but
where Is there a state In which election
frauds haye not been committed. where
is there a party out Of power that does
not claim hat it IS kept out by frauds?
There is no such State; no such party.
In all the States frauds have been COM
mitted from time TO time, and Virginia
has been no exception 20 the rule. but,
nevertheless. we assert that the elections
in Virginia have been as free from fraud
as the elections in any other state.
So far as Smithers' Precinct is con-
cerned, We have the right 20 believe that
the Democrats there would not have
gotten into any trouble IL they had fol-
lowed the advice Of The FINES. The
Times advice to Democrats was 20 "as-
sert themselves" and II necessary. drive
off the negroes and their mean white
allies" from the polls. But this course
the Smithers people did not follow. Ihcy
manipulated the ballots. While Tho
Times. we suppose. would have endorsed
the use Of the shotgun or hludgeon. il
disanrcved the method adopted. aud has
boon preaching upon that text ever since.
Wen the law is 20 be violated. Tho Iine7
wants il violated I'm frs way and not IN
the Smithereens' way.
We hope the Dispatch IS now saiished'
and that being so. We repeat what we
have frequently said bcfore-that this ar
ticle completely shifts the position Of the
Dispatch. When, some three years back
The Times learned. with horror and dis
may. that in many OF the counties Of this
state the elections were utterly fraudulent
and rotten, and so charged the fact to
be, the Dispatch took mp the cudgels and
defended the whole election system in It's
entirety. But proofs have been forced
upon the Dispatch until its article OF
August 26th was extorted from &c.. IL no
longer defends our elections now. except
upon the poor plea that, bad as they are.
they are no worse than elections in some
ether places. IL comedies that There
have been frauds in our elections and
that the O GERS of election at smithers'
precinct manipulated the ballots That
is The Times case, and It rests 10 there.
And if the people Of Virginia think that
smithers' Precinct is the only one in the
state where the officers Ct election "ma-
nipulate the ballots" we tell them. in
an earncstness. that they make q most
serious blunder. There are "a number of
counties in the negro belt where tie
officers Of election are appointed for the
express purpose OF manipulating the
ballots" and they execute their commits
sion with perfect fidelity. in those coun-
ties there are no longer any elections held.
The baliot-bo es arc made 20 yield what
ever result tho m%anipulators have de-
termined on. Tbs is n fact Of common
knowledge in q humber of @ccunties, and
any one can find it out TO DE a fact if he
will take the trouble to inquire.
The excuse for it has been that it is
necessary to prevent negro rule. But tho
Democrats have now divided. and If
fraudulent elections are TO Doe permitted
a., .lo cl-f,~ election O. will Doe a case