Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-12-02

!. - not the general Enforcement OF ne
: Must reputable citizens. No State ca
T afford TO retain election methods which
III the opinion OF many OF her best citl
! zens. lead TO fraudulent practices and un
? true returns. No State can afford TO alloy
doubts to be cast By her own peopl
J upon the purity OF her ballot-boxes. l
! she believes there Is even a sembiance
reasonable ground for the charge tina
, the system Is being converted into al
engine 10 register the will Of certain cleo
) tion officials, or political party. th'
sooner she removes the ground the betteI
Tor her morally, socially, and commercial
~, she should plant herself on the I'M
from suspicion. When she does this. sh'
mas built on foundations Of permanency
and prosperity.
No better evidence OF the imperfection
OF the law as IL stands is needed imam
the thousands of defective or improperly
marked ballots that have been thrown out
IN every election since the law was en-
acted-ln some instances as many as
one-third or one-half OF the ballots de-
uosited. 1t shows that the mode Is too
intricate for the illiterate voters to pre-
pare their own ballots correctly, or that
the officials entrusted TO mark the bal
| lots OF the illiterate voters are OFTEN
either corrupt or too ignorant TO dis
charge their duty. Imperfect ballots
| were very rarely cast prior to 1894.
| FAVORS AN EMBLEM BALLOT.
| Il recommend an emblem ballot ana
| the display OF an exact representation or
this ballot In the public press and on
| the day of election at the polls TO enable
| the voters to become familiar with IL.
| As to the further details / will make no
suggestion, except to say that the man.
ner Of marking the ballot should be made
as simple as possible 1t is alleged that
frequently judges are appointed who are
so Ignorant as not TO be able to read or
write. or course such appointments are
absolutely farcical 1t is placing the ma
GhfnaTV n fYna ft,ctf fc,,sy Itr wi oh
public servants are selected and the
popular Will ascertained in charge or men
thoroughly incapable and entrusting the
elective rights of the people 10 the Keep
ing OF officials who are as powerless as
II they were blind to detect or prevent
fraud, and secure a fair count and honest
return. The ballot-boxes through which
the will of the people is reflected should
be In the custody of the intelligent, not
the ignorant. and the duties of judges OF
election should be performed by men
upon whom the most important trusts
could be imposed with absolute conf |
dence, not only in their probity, but also |
i'm their capacity to guard and protect |
against mistakes and dishonesty.
81 meet with emphatic denial the charge |
made in certain quarters that the peo- I
pie OF Virginia favor fraudulent election
laws or encourage corruption at the bal
lot-box. They demand a free and honest |
ballot and a fair and honest return They
do not teach their children uprightness
III private dUdllS OF Ire ana cOIuOUe |
fraud In elections; they teach them that
whatever is morally wrong cannot be
right"
The Governor renews his recommended
ton that new metal roof be placed on
the Capitol building; tells what has been
done in the way of improving the base
ment and making the Land Office fire.
proof; reports that the money appro-
priated to clean the Lee monument and
make q granolthc curbing and grass !
mound around hgGn N |
perly expended, and shows the need or
800 more for an iron railing and curDng |
20 protect the statue: submits the cor
dependence between himself and Cover
Tor Lowndes touching the renewal
II buoys marking the boundary line
between Maryland and Virginia in Tan
;ier and Pocomoke sounds. and reports
he appointment of Benjamin T. Gunter
loner; reports his appointment OF Messrs.
. Aston Cabell. II. W. Saunders, and W.
;. McRae commissioners for the promo
ion Of uniformity of legislation in the =
nder which Mr. Moorefield Storey. OF 1
'oston, recovered for the State GER /
ain valuable historical documents sup L
osed to have been stolen from i
he Capitol in 1865 and gives 4
9th list of the documents and the Il
correspondence with Mr. Storey: recon- l,
ehds an amendment Of the act entitled Il
An act to provide for the protection of Is
| l.
" is, 1896, so as to define more clearly Is
le duties and powers of the Board Of is
ontrol OF the Experiment Station of Is
~ Virginia Agricultural and Mechani- Is
Il College; renews his recommended Is
ons OF two years ago with reference TO | Is
e supervision of State banks. Insurance | Is
mpanies, and building and loan asso- -
atoms. quoting freely from his 1895 mos
ges. and on this point concludes: "The
'oVe views were deliberately expressed
ID the recommendations were maturely
nsidered, and l am as fully convinced II
w as | was two years ago that vour "
norabe bodies should act upon the
les indicated. The General Assembly
us last session was impelled I'm order w
protect the public against imposition ",
d fraud, to repeal twenty-five charters or
fire insurance companies which had CO
On granted by circuit courts i'm different | m
,tlons OF the State, and which COM ae
mes were being operated without capt. 81,
; securing all the policies possible. and su
lecting the premiums and paying no DO
ses. They were, IN fact. baldfaced
uds, and many policy-holders suf- ste
ed by them" fe,
INSTITUTIONS OF Tearing. 20
he Governor explains all that has Wi
m done with reference to the distribu- W, 70
n of the Direct Tax Fund: suggests | ~
II the Saturday half-holiday law be | nie
amended as TO declare that it's pro- an
Ions do not apply 70 State offices, peni- en-,
tiary, and State farm. and says: Lest Inc
recommendation that the apprcpria- y
rs TO all our institutions of learning o,,.
ept the Deaf and Dumb and Blind In bri
ution be reduced may not be July roa
ierstood, desire 10 say that / make "a
recommendation only in the event n
[ the appropriations for pensions and I'm
maintenance OF the Soldiers Home In,
not be enlarged without such reduc- in
J. NO citizen of the State will be
re gratited than myself IL Justice can tba
done 10 Virginia's dependent soldiers u-o,
dependent widows OF soldiers with g.
Withdrawing any Of the support the No,
te mas been giving to our University ,ioi
colleges. These institutions are H.
aments 10 our Commonwealth and de- twc
re her fostering care, but their wants W.
not compare with the demands of her
and impoverished soldiers The |
port OF the latter is the discharge OF IT
lcred obligation: the assistance of the | dos,
ner Is gratuity." VA
EVIEWS HIS ADMINISTRATION heir
re Governor commends every officer unit
ne state Government for his faithful ! Jud
harge OF duty, and expresses his corr
lks 10 each and all Of them for their in I
orm kindness and courtesy towards s-.s'
announces the death of Attorney
eral r. Taylor Scott to whom he NAYS ffH-
cry high tribute. and concludes his Ez6
sage with review of his administra- Ef<2
now near It's close. He says: HX
am glad that | can surrender the M
5 or State Government into the h9nds 80
gentleman so worthy, and one who NIX
guard jealousy the interests. well ~
and honor Of this historic Common &f3
tn. shall retire from official life ~
a heart full of gratitude for the ESF
y honors that have been bestowed ~
me, and with the pleasant reflection ~
during my long period of public SER -
longer, / think than anv living Elr-