The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-10-22
CRY or INTJMID.IiION.
what an Honest Virginia Newspaper Has
To say of III. >ort of Humhueyery.

The Petersburg lndex-Appoal OF yester-
day contains the following editorial arti-
Clc
Ile organs and orators OF the Bryan
ito Democracy in this State are raising
the cry OF intimidation OF election JUICES,
because their opponents have determined
10 secure, by legal and pcaceable means,
a falf count and an honest return OF tho
ballots which the voters OF Virginia VIII
cast on the Sd day OF next November.
Guided By experience OF the past, II has
been found necessary not only Tor voters
TO cast their ballots, but also 10 tko
extra precautionary measures TO protect
them afterwards 10 secure that wn.fn the
solemn oath OF the election judge ought
to be sufficient TO guarantee. The right
10 do this Is as sacred as is the right 30
vote, and the right to vote Is the high
est and most sacred OF the rights Of .i,i-
zenshp. Wherein does the element OF m
timdation apply In an impli "A threat
that tho judge will be punished II he
does not perform his duty honestly This
threat already lies In the penalty de-
nOunced against violetors OF the election
law, and to avoid IL all the election judge
has TO do Is TO be honest. Surely that Is
not a very hard condition. when rs al
tentative may be twelve months IN the
city jail. In any event, n any election
Judge gets into trouble. he will have him
self alone to thank for IT, The isnomlny
and tho inconvenience OF forced dcteii-
ton from friends and family, at the pub
lie expense, if such thing should be-
come necessary, VIII be his own doing.
He will not get even the sympathy which
attaches to the victim OF "a snap Juds-
ment, because fair warning has been
given him that the voters of Virginia are
terribly In earnest i'm their determination
TO assert and maintain tho right or
suffrage guaranteed TO them by the state
and the United States. This right hes
at the very foundation OF citizenship. ana
IL o.
it, even il some or thejudges do treat IL
as "a good joke TO cheat voters. The Noto
for Palmer and Mckinley in this St3le
next November will be secret only In
FORM In fact Il will he as well known
on the outside OF the polls - on the IN
side. and the same thorough method OF
counting and checking viii give n pretty
good idea of Mr.. Bryan's vote also.
But there Will be no intimidation. Every
thing will be done IN strict accofdanc"
with law and good order. and while II rs
"A surveillance of Official conduct winch
ought. under the peculiar circumstances
of the times. every honest luusv "uh"t I,
encourage and demand. The proposct
plan OF operations h not n new one. 10
was tried recently and most effectively
i'm North Carolina By the Hon. Marion
Butler. the present Populist ally OF mo
fsryanite Democracy. Win " ne smash'n
the Democratic machine, or when ne mao
tut "A short time before been part. There
seems to be no good reason that the SELF
same cause I'm Virginia should not pro-
duce the solf-same effect
But whatever may be tho result. let no
man be deferred from doing his whole
duty bv the pueric and false charge OF
intimldating election judges; Every voter
mas right to know that MS paliot nas
heon honestly dealt with. and the election
Judge has no more right 10 feel intimi.,
dated AT any precautions on the part OF
the voter TO this end than has the sIoesI
when mis- customer stands by ana notes
that he receives full weight.