The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-01-21
VOICE OF THE PEOPLE.
yIEUs or TIMES READERS ON ~
RIOUs QUESTIONS.
VIII the Walton Election Law BE Chang
ed ?-Gambling at Hace-Iracks-
Remove the Penitentiary.
10 the Editor Of The Times:

tions? WIN the change be framed IN the
interests Of fairness AMI justice oil VIII II
have a semblance Of justice as a cloak TO
cover duplicity and fraud? 1t is now ap-
nsreut 10 all that the Walton Law was
drawn up in utter contempt of justice
uss II been a success. are the honest
/ Voters of Virginia patished with lhls
burden Of wrong partisan advantage on
their c0nscienccs?
some high in public favor say this law
/ has ouerated well in preventing bribery
i'm elections, but In like proportion they
,,,uet coneede that It has trebled the
onnortiinities TO steal and defraud by
! partisan constables and judges. men y
! The lesser evil Of the twOE men II INC
more dangerous TO our republican loiiii
| ~ government? 10 Is urged in defence OF
| .tts law I'm Tidewater and Blackbelt Nir-
! GINA that IL is necessary IN oIueI ~ Pi0
vent negro domination. .,
/ WIN this excuse bear practical invesu-
/ ration. because this question shoulu oo
siftcd and probed 20 the bottom. Accord
/ ING TO the census OF 1890. in Virginia theIe
v,ere On O95 white males over y years OF
aga and only 1904, cOlored mares oFci
n years Of age. out of 100 counties III t"e
/ state. the negro has a majority Oh No'ins
n
! these, by their smallness, are ehtiuvu ~
/ one delegate to two counties.
Now docs it stand to reason, that
! no 73l ignorant negroes can outyote ana
ruie 2fS085 intelligent whites; Does IL
| stand TO reason that g negro couh'le7
can dictate and shape legislation loI lno
/ Ion counties? This idea Of negro doihin"
! ton. once a question OF some hloil'eii''
| is now only a scarecroW used 10y tl'
Il Hr.HH 81
scheming politician TO ride INTO once ol
| This cunning dodge Of the ollce-secho,'
coupled with the experience OF coiiil'i.. nun
| ties while the negro was being eNPeIi
| r,enfed with as a political factor, backeu
Inv Federal bayonets, is enough IN many
localities 10 cause the pitiaDie sighl Oh
/ white men voting against their own con-
yictions. Just in order TO be on the op-
posite side from the negro worse sun
| and more deplorable, giving their sahcuoh
TO every subterfuge TO cheat, not ohly
the negro because IL does not stop lheie'
but all who do not agree Win MN III
I politics. ,,.,-,.u
The negro has been tried as politician
with an the help of the Federal Govern
mont. he has been tried boy all parties ana
FIN every state. and the experience oil an
is that. as a politician, he is a failure, anu
he has sunk 10 his level, and 10 a level
where his inferiority woud have ultimate
/ ~ landed him had no voice been raised
| Ia bar his progress. The Northern poll
tician has learnt that the force bill was
a move IN the wrong direction ana tldl
more could be accomplished In breaking
tho solid South without H. II was discard
! ed. never again 10 be seriously presSeu'
Is there really any fear OF negro supie-
macy i'm Virginia. where the white voter
more than doubles the negro In numbers
Gould any white party that controlled lhe
LEGISLATURE afford, from political stand
point. 10 give 10 the counties, dlsulcls'
and state negro judges. negro county
school superintendants, etc. Ihe meIea1
tvro i'm politics knows IL would be party
suicide to even attempt II, and even con-
coding they did, a most improbable sup
p,sition. would not sober second thought
cause the forces that put them there 10
releaate them to the rear: then why inau-
aurate this election system of wholesale
fraud after Federal interference was
abandoned and the negro eliminated as
political factor?
Does if not rather smack Of the I'M
scrupulous partisan, who wishes 10 dis
franchise an who differ with him regard
less of color intelligence or property
Us this move not fraught with the siaFesl
hangers to republican form OF Govern
mont and who must draw the line of
Z .
ready the uliterate white voter is at the
mercy of "a partisan constable. the IN
tellirent white voter shares but little bet
ter. as the judges of election being prac-
ticaly all of one party can easily as
franchise him where 10 is necessary Ioi
party advantage to do so.
When is this thing 10 stop? Shall II be
LETT 10 a partisan judge or constable TO
determine? Negroes first disiranchlsed'
then the Republicans, next the Popuhsts.
and which wing of the Democrats VIII
Doe under the ban after the next Natohai
Convention forces silver men out OF the
marty. as we take it FOR granted, that
not an Of the silver men will follow Mr..
Daniel and Mr. Jones who will follow
the next National Convention, which VIII
give them gold plank.
Gentlemen of the Legislature. you must
be honest with the people of Virginia,
and not class all who will not work with
the machine as negroes. or negro sympa-
thizers. Take counsel of your better JudS-
mcnt. such political chicanery is day 10y
day disgusting members OF your own
party. adhercnts who are honest ANA WISH
TO see Gods laws and honesty prevail
The negro was not an issue I'm the TWO
Dast State elections. and yet more fraud
was perDretrated than ever before. NO
CONGRESS assemblies in Washington now
but what Virginia furnishes contested
Seats and the cry les fraud This should
not be: it IS IN the power OF the present
LEGISLATURE TO remove an doubts about
the fairness OF the ballots. VIII they
have the fairness. Independence, and man
Illness 10 frame a just election law?
There are some who advise those who
do not approve of the methods OF the
machine politician 10 keep quiet as by
expressing themselves they run the risk
of becoming very unpopular. III a man
has TO sacrifice principle truth. and hon
cstv. IN order 20 gain popularity, then
there are quite few that had rather
retain those qualities at the expense of
being unpopular
ID is much easier To- drift with the cur
rent. and it is not for pleasure that one
pulls against the stream, there is one
thing certain. We are drifting away from
the old landmarks. Would IL not be bet
ter. il there is no other alternative 10 have
few counties send negro delegates 10
Richmond for a season, where they would
be in q hopeless minority than 10 send
men there leaving a black trail Of fraud
and perjury I'm their wake 20 curse and
burden the consclences Of those they
leave at home? Almost anything is bet
ter than this black pail. which clouds
the honesty of Nirginia's name among
the state. As between a States honor
and "a doubtful partisan advantage, who
can hesitate 10 discard the latter and
hold 10 tho former? Let honesty and JUS
tice dictate your course TO your fellow
man. gentlemen, and return home with a
clear conscience ana leave the rest with
God.