The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-12-02

| there IL in tho existing act provisions
which make fraud easy, and, tend 10 cast
| suspicion upon the election, as well as
1 upon the purposes OF the act. So that
| while the new law has Its advantages
| over tho old law. II has It's evils. for IL
| virtually disfranchises many and opens
| wide the door for corruption and dis
honesty. 1t has proved failure. and
| should be amended retaining what Is
good. and discarding what IL bad In IL.
| No state, II she values fair name.
| can afford to carry on her statute book
nm elective system which has not the gen.
! eral endorsement of her most reputable
citizens No state can afford 10 retain
election methods which. In the opinion OF
many OF her best citizens, lead to fraudu-
lent practices and untrue returns. No
State can afford 10 allow doubts to be
cast by her own people upon the purity
Of her ballot boxes. If she believes there
is even a semblance OF reasonable
ground for the charge that the system
IL being converted into an engine 10 regis
ter the will OF certain election officials.
or a political party. the sooner she re-
moves the ground the better for her,
morally. socially and commercially. she
should plant herself on the impregnaDle
rock of virtue and be free from suspicion.
When she does this. she has buiit on
foundations of permanency and pros
perity
No better evidence OF the imperfection
of the law as II stands Is needed than
the thousands OF defective or improperly
marked ballots that have been thrown
ont in every election since the law was
enacted-in some instances as many as
onc-third or one-half OF the ballots de-
posifed. IT shows that the mode Is too
Intricate for the illiterate voters 10 pre-
mare their own ballots correctly. or that
the officials entrusted to mark the ballots
of the iliteratc voters are often elthcr
corrupt or too ignorant 10 discharge their
duty. Imperfect ballots were very rarely
east prior 20 1885,.
recommend an emblem ballot. ana inc
display of an exact representation Of TINS
ballot in the public press. ard on the
day Of election at the polls to enable the
voters 10 become familiar with II. As 10
the further details / will make no svg-
gestion except 20 say that the manner
OF marking the ballot should be made
az simple as possible.
u is alleged that frequently judges are
appointed who are co ignorant as not to
he able TO read or write. or course. such
appointments are absolutely farcicaL II
is placing the machinery OF our FREQ in
stiiutions by which public servants are
In charge of men thoroughly Incapable
and entrtsting the elective rights Of the
people TO the keeping Of officials who arc
as powerless as II they were blind. TO
detect or prevent fraud. and secure
fair count and honest return. The bal
lot boxes. through which the Will Of the
people Is reflected, should be in the Gus
tody Of the intelligent. not the ignorant
and the duties of judges of election should
he performed by men upon whom the
most important trusts could nc imposed
with absolute confidence not only In their
probitv. but also In their capacity TO
guard and protect against mistakes and
dishonesty.
I meet with emphatic denial the charge
made In certain quarters that the people
Of Virginia favor fraudulent election laws,
or encourage corruption Mt the ballot box
They demand free and honest ballot.
and n fair and honest return. They do
not teach their children uprightness IN
the private affairs of life and condone
fraud in elections: they teach them that
whatever is morally wrong cannot be
politically right"
THE CAPITOL.
renew the recommendation that !
made in my message Of 1885, In REFER
ence to an appropriation TO place a new
metal roof. WIN metal IdlA'iSf vi th'
Capitol | stated two years ago. and re-
peat II now, that. in the opinion Of an
experienced architect. the safety OF the
building requires this work. | assume
that every member of your honorable
bodies venerates the old structure with
it's cherished memories and historic value.
and | cannot conceive that he viii pass
unnotced the necessity Of taking steps
to protect it as far as possible. from de-
struction by fire. now that mis- special at
tention Is called 10 it, 1t is entwined by
the affections OF the Virginia people: it is
relic linking the early days of her State
hood with her present. and its loss would
bring lamentations from every home and
concentrations Upon them who. as legis-
lators. with full knowledge Of its danger.
neglect to guard against IT.
Tire Land Office in which are deposited
records whose destruction would entail
loss thai could not be computed in money
| have had fire-proofed. paying for tho
same out OF the civil contingent fund.
During my term I have also. from the
same fund had the basement Of tho
Capitol improved i'm various ways. so
If the improvement 10 the roof is made.
the entire building will he almost entire
ly proof and in good condition. and
the expenditure of no more money. ex-
cept for ordinary wear and tear will he
required for years.
The walks i'm the grounds should have
NOR care. II Is impossible TO prevent them
from washing i'm many places and the
outlay is constant. They should be
paved with brick This will make them
permanent, besides adding to the beauty
of the grounds.
LEE MONUMENT
The General Assembly at its last ses-
sion. appropriated five hundred dollars
to clean the Lee Monument and to make
a granolithic curbing ana grass mound
around its base. the same to he expended
under my direction. This work was done
under the supervision Of General Pey-
ton Wise, whose death since brought uni
versal sOrrow and Colonel w. T.. Cut
shaw. who very generously rendered
their services but the amount appropri-
ated was inadequate and J was compell-
ed 10 supplement II from tsc civil con
tingent fund.
TO protect the monument there must
be an iron railing around IL. II stands
in an exposed location, remote from 9TH
or buildings and without police suryeil-
lance and where il can be defaced by
vandal hands with impunity. The rail-
ing and requisite curbing will cost, I am
Informed about $50 and | am sure your
love for the sacred memory Of the mmor-
tai chicftain will prompt YOU 20 make the
re Quisite appropriation to 10 this work
MARYLAND AND VIRGINIA BOUND