Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-11-03
III. schcmc XNin Not work.


officers, and prevent them from Jaiiing
those who purpose violating the law in
question. But his scheme viii not work.
| am tho author Of the act 90 which
he refers, ana know something Of It's de-
sign and lts history. l;s consltutionality
was passed on by the best lawyers I'm
Virginia before Il was introduced In the
city Of Portsmouth il broke up forever
the same system Of intimidation which
the Republicans and their allies are now
cndeavoring TO inaugurate throughout the
State and during the six years It has
been on the statute books no question
has ever before been raised as TO its con-
stitutonalty.
As qn election dodge the card IS a
rank failure. j. r. LAWLESS.
\ Violation of the Parker Law.
Section IA of the Parker bill prescribes
penalty ON any voter who carries an
official ballot beyond the voting booth ex-
cept to the judges OF election. If it is
unlawful for him TO carry said ballot ex-
ccpt from the booth 10 the judges Of cleo
tion for the purpose of voting IT, how
can he exhibit that ballot to any one?
THAT would be a plain violation of Sec
tion IA, for which there is a penalty on
the voter who commits such act or makes
such attempt.
The ballot is a secret ballot; not a
secrecy optional with the voter himself
at an, but secret in every sense. Ana 10
exhibit ones ballot. after being marked,
10 any one other than the assistant pro-
vidcd by law would be as plain viola
ton as IL would be TO mark a ballot with
% secret mark so that it might be de-
tected from other ballots contained in the
ballot-boXcs.
Tha f.laft, l,p-tr-rr, ,,1 f,t.v4 gf fne
law is to throw around the ballot the
cloak Of secrecy, SO that no one whose
ever other than the voter himself, or the
assistant In case of illiteracy shall know
or be apprised of its contents.
a PLAIN VIOLATION
To carry the ballot from the booth and
exhibit il TO bystander outside would
be a plain violation OF section IA. Amy
voter undertaking so to DO should be in
stantly arrested by the judges of the cleo
tion.
Any one reading section IS. 10 which
reference is made in the circular letter OF
Alexander Hamilton and others. will see
that the only inspection authorized by
the judges of election of a voters ballot
is an inspection of the outside to inspect
the official seal for the purpose of dis
covering whether IL is the official ballot
that Is being voted: the exact language
used being that "the judge shall place
the same in the ballot-bOX without any
inspection further than 20 insure himself
that the ballot is a genuine ballot. for
which purpose he may, without looking
at the printed inside of said ballot, in
spect the official seal Of the back thereof
This is the only inspection of a voter S
ballot that the judges may make. and
such being the case, the voter has no
right TO exhibit to them or 10 any one
else the inside Of his prepared ballot.
JACKSON GUY.
what the object of the LAW Is.
The Virginia law gives the judges Of
election power to prevent the intimida-
tion. or coercion, or the hindering, tam
pering with voters on the part of by
ISLANDERS. by warning. and in case this is
not effective. boy committing such offender
to Jail, not exceeding twonty-four hours.
The secretary Of the Brpublican Cam
paign Committee says this is unconstitu-
tiona. and threatens suit i'm the United
States Court.
Let us hope that there viii be no neces-
sity for the exercise of this power ON
the part OF the judges But IL there should
Doe. il is hardly probable that any officer
viii be deferred from doing his duty by
such "a threat. IL so, he violates his oath.
which binds him TO act according TO law.
The question as to the constitutonality
Of the election law belongs TO courts Of
last resort. and not 10 the secretary OF
the Republican Campaign Committee
ROOSEVELT PAGE.
Its Secrecy Must De Complete.
The Parker bin was passed for the dis
tiuct and avoWed purpose of giving 10 the
people Of Virginia the benefit Of the Aus
tralian system OF voting, by insuring the
casting OF a secret ballot and thereby re-
ducing TO a minimum the chances of un-
due influence and coercion by the powers
that should undertake 10 intlmidate voters
for the furtherance Of their own selfish
ends. Therefore. the secrecy Of the ballot
does not end with the moment Of its being
written and deposited fra the box, but the
protection of the strong arm of the law
is thrown around the ballot from the time
it is being printed (section lis p. b.
when it goes In the hands Of the officers
Section 10 u. 3D.. and when the voters re-
ceive il (section IA -. 3D. 10 so into the
booth TO prepare It for voting.
no one is allowed 20 enter the booth
except the judge selected for that pur-
pose (sectiOn II T. I'D, and when the judge
is not so requested the voter must De
wholly excluded from the observation of
outsiders (section II T. B) When the bal
Dot is given to the judge 10 place in the
box. he is forbidden, under penalty 10 let
any one see 1t secti0n % L. b and
folding being part OF the prescribed
preparation of the ballot, must be done
in the booth. for all the precautions Of
the law against giving the ballot 10 the
public would be useless If. as soon as one
was prepared in the booth. the voter
could OF was required TO exhibit 1t 10
the hystanders.
Nothing could be accomplished, no pro-
lection would be given. If the secrecy Of
the ballot went no further than this. The
law would stulufy itself and deserve the
dcrisiOn it would receive If IL withdrew its
protection from the voter at this point,
when il was most needed. This it does
not do. as some say. who. seeing its jus
tice. would put it at defiance, but extends
It's protection 10 the voter as much after
the hali0t is nut in the box az before and
guarantees to him the right TO go home
urquestioned as TO how ne exercised his
right OF franchise Every man has a
right 10 20 of and voluntarily tell an
other how he voted. yet any prescribed
plan. systematic effort. and solicitation TO
get the voter 20 commit himself as TO
how his ballot was cast is violation OF
the letter and spirit of our election laws.
j.. ST. GEORGE BARRAUD.
asTOVE-POLISH" MORSE IN GLOOM.
The Political signs Point TO Demo-
cratic Success.