Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1897-10-14

belt of Virginia, or the negro section of
North and South Carolina, Alabama, Ar
kansas and Mississippi, it is suggested that
this deplorable state of affairs might be
remedied by importing from the black
belt in Virginia or some of the other sec
lions mentioned above where the negro
vote is in excess of the white vote, some OF
the more intelligent negroes who might
open aschool ofinstructon for incompetent
voters in Newbern precinct, as the negroes
residing in above mentioned localities
have displayed enough dexterity in voting
Democratic tickets to roll up enormous
maiorties for the Democratic candidates
in each and every election.
The suggestion that the present election
law Of the State might be revised SO as to
bring it within the comprehension of the
benighted voters of Newbern precinct is
not to be thought of. The beauty and
charm of the incompatible statute would
thus be married and perhaps wholly de-
stroyed for the sake of the incompetentand
illiterate voters in single precinct. Be-
You'd question il would be bad thing to
so lower the standard of intelligence in the
State generally merely for local effect
The object to be attained in such laws is
the greatest good to the greatest number,
I - hot inhf nf
frage were taken away from the citizens
of Newbern precinct altogether rather than
that anything should be done to make
plain and ineligible the syst ITEM of voting
throughout the State.
If the above suggestion of importing a
negro instructor should be decided too
drastic the desired end might be attained
by putting the voters of Newbern precinct
on probation until they could satisfy the
judges of election that they understood the
election law of the State when they might
safely be permitted to attempt vote.
fla fixed per cent. were added to the
Newbern ballot to be ratably apportioned
between rival candidates upon the pre-
sumption that the voters of all parties
were equally ignorant, it might secure to
Newbern its just quota of influence, and
would undoubtedly go long way to re-
move thestigma resting upon this unhappy
precinct at present for a lack of intelligence
and information.
tyro in these matters has suggested
that it might be we'll to have special Act
passed by the next Legislature for Newbern
precinct permitting each voter at that pre-
cinct to cast at least five or six ballots, but
a most casual consideration of this plan
will suggest the objection that under such
an arrangement every voter would stand
at least chance of getting in one vote for
the candidate of his choice. Ofcourse this
condemns the whole plan and it cannot be
thought of.
If have failed to suggest proper rem
edy for the deplorable condition of affairs
in this unfortunate precinct will somebody
please speak out and say what ought to be
done.
1t is confidently believed that no critic,
however captious, or no party interested,
however suspicious, will have the temerity
to assert'that anything partaking Of the
nature of fraud is charged in the preced-
ing article. 1t must be evident to the
most casual reader that the article is a her
culean effort to suggest some plausible hy-
pothesis other than of fraud to account for
the most extraordinary and astonishing
showing made by the voters Of Newbern
precinct, Pulaski county, Virginia, on cleo
ton day, November Sd, 1896.
1t is to be devoutly hoped that the vo-
tiers of said precinct will not again distin-
guish themselves by making similar rec
ord in the elections of 1897, and friendly
almonition, which is the only object OF this
article, 1 hope will not be taken amiss.
eff there's rent in "a your coats
bid We tent it,
A chiefs amang We taken notes,
And faith he'll prent it.
Burns.
FRANK VISOR,
County Chairman Republican Party.
Pulaski Va Oct 4 1897.