Evening star., 1896-10-09
BRYAN MAY LOSE VIRGINIA
Richmond's Straight Democratic Vote Great
ly Reduced.
Likelihood of Less Ballot Box Stuff
ing This Year-Educatfng
Ignorant Voters.
Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.

Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.
RICHMOND, Va, October 9.-"There
is a possibility that Bryan will lose
Virginia" said one of the best-posted
democrats of Richmond last night to a
Star correspondent. THE national demo-
cratic party of the state" he continued.
''are making phenomenal progress through
out the entire state. The leaders are more
hopeful today than they have ever been
Of reducing the usual democratic ma
jority in the state to such a great extent
as to leave the result in doubt.
THE whole question hinges on the ef-
fort to secure fair election. II the fraud
usually practiced by the democrats in
elections here is reduced one-half Bryan
will lose the state beyond doubt. The
national democratic committee appreciate
this fact. and have focused their endeay-
ors to the accomplishment OF this task.
The republicans have the most perfect
ganiZation throughout the state that they
have ever had. and are making one of the
best fights ever saw. All factional quar-
rels, SO common heretofore in the state,
have been stopped as IL by magic, and
erstwhile bitter enemies are working to-
gether for the election Of their ticket. All
signs at this time point to the unexoected
on November 3.
Poor Democratic Organization.
1T is a well-known fact that the Chicago
party in this state have the poorest organi-
cation they have ever had. and are de-
pending upon the Bryan upheaval to make
| good the lack Of systematic work They
have no money, and majority of their
old-time managers and manipulators are
either openly or secretly opposed to them.
Their only hope for even carrying the state
for Bryan is the free silver sentiment
among the farmers and other classes, cou-
pied with the usual ballot-box stuffing.
l would not be at all surprised if Bryan
lost Virginia.
| "A careful house-to-house canvass here
in Richmond dscloses that the usual DEM
| ocratic majority of 6,000 will be reduced by
| at least 3.oc0 on account of the many MEM
| bers of that party VINO are declining to
| vote for Bryan: but whether they will vote
| for Palmer or Mckinley it is impossible to
| ascertain. If they would come out openly
| for Mckinley, the result in many instances
| would be social ostracism, and it is believed
by many of the national democratic party
| managers that, as they will not want to
| throw their votes away, there being, of
| course, 10 chance whatever for Palmer and
| Buckner to be elected, the most of them
| VIII on election day go to the polls and,
| taking advantage of the secrecy afforded
| to them under the Walton election law,
| without any but themselves knowing how
| they voted, quietly cast their ballots fer
| Mckinley.
Disfranchfsing Negroes.
"It has been the practice among the dem
| ocratic managers here in Richmond. their
greatest stronghold, to practically disfran-
| chise the colored voters by keeping them
from voting through the use of various
| technicalities. such as unnecessary ohal-
| ler ging Of votes, etc, standing IN line in
| many instances from sunrise to sunset,
| the polls at the latter time closing and
| leaving them still standing in the line.
| This neat scheme, which has heretofore
! been of the greatest aid to the democratic ic
| party in helping TO diminish the republican
vote, and to that extent to increase the
| democratic majority, will not be worked
| this year, because there will be more poll
ing places than heretofore and special steps
| have been taken to give ever! man wno
has the right to vote the opportunity to dc
| so.
"At the time the Walton law was passed
| it was the expectation of the democratic
| managers that through its operation, nc
! one being allowed to vote except those who
| could read, the great majority of. colored
| men in the state would be disfranchised
| and the rule Of the democrats be perpet-
| uated, II not for all time, at least Tor 9
long series Of years.
Educational Work.
"It has been found, however. that while
hosts of colored men who have not had the
benefits of education are under the law de-
| barred from VOtlHS, Hlduy WAAieS hich Ah va
rious counties labor under the same diff.
| Guilty and are also deprived Of the electoral
privilege These latter are, SO far as known
taking no steps to becoming restored tc
the rights of citizenship. while. on the
other hand, the republicans have employed
men in every neighborhood to teach col
| ored men enough to enable them to mark
| their ballot in such a way that they viii
certainly vote for the republican nominees
THE Walton law enables this to be done
1t is probable that such was not the inten
ton Of the trainers Of the act when they
| inserted a provision in the bill that all the
ballots should be printed with Roman type
but at the same time neglected to specify
what size type should be used, and by
using a different size for the names of re
publicans from that adopted for printing
those of democrats. 1t gives the teacher!
employed by the latter great advantages
in their work Of educating the colored votel
as to which set of names. according to the
republican view, is the correct one for col
ored men to vote for; and those who hav,
the matter in charge believe that by No
vember 3 their pupils will be so well posted
in this particular that they will be able t,
cast their ballots for those whom the,
wish to be elected without calling to thei
aid the conStables who are sworn to poin
out the names of various candidates t.
those voters who may ask them to do SO.
Greater interest than ever before, to m,
knowledge, is being taken throughout tn,
state in the election, and my impression /,
that the poll will be one of the heavies
ever cast.
The New Guide.
From Truth.