The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-12-21

4
difference between the sort OF fraudulent
elections that We have and the kind that
they have north OF us. There Is undoubt-
eddy bribery and bailot-box stufiiing in
| the Chicago elections. but then the sentl-
ment OF the whole people is against H..
the laws are expressly framed so as to
make Il as nearly impossible as may be.
! and. when an officer IS detected In the
| preparation OF n fraud he is prosecuted
with ali the force OF the law and punish
vctod. Witness the case just mentioned
in Chicago and the conviction OF John G.
McKaae IN New York who is now serv-
\ ing a very long term in the penitentary.
Put acre. public opinion, 10 n large ex-
| tent. condoLcs fraud in elections. and. in
the black belt It actually applauds 1t. The
whole machinery OF the law is construct
! ed so as 10 cEabio corrupt election officers
to have their own way with tho ballot
boxes. ii so constructed as to secure cor
rupt election officers IN every county
where fraudulent elections are tolerated.
and. when an exposure OF fraud is made.
Il IS hugger-muggered and. by common
consent the criminals are allowed TO es-
cape. Witness what took place when
The Times exposed the frand at Smith
ers precinct. Though the evidence was
complete that the election officers had
put 300 fraudulent ballots into one box
-. 4 - gp,, 70 h.arr IN.
fined Eve dollars each upon pleading
guilty. The prosecuting officer was COM
pcilcd TO admit that there was no chance
Of Furnishing them if he pressed the case
to trial There IS the difference, and
the grea; difference between what takes
place here and what takes place in Chi
cago or New York.
In those places all the forces o: society
and the law are turned upon the corrupt
election officer TO punish him for his
fraud and to make the ballot box give
true expression TO the will OF the people.
Hero all the forces OF society ana the Jaw
are brought into play TO shield the cor
rupt election officer and 10 make his
manipulation Of the ballot box stand as
and FOR true the expression Of the will Of
the people.
This thing is coTupting every branch
OF our public service and slowly but sure
~ undermining the private as well as the
public morals OF the people. 1t must, in
time, and that no great time, wholly end
all semhlance and pretence Of popular
government in Virginia and place the
whole administration OF our affairs IN the
hands Of thimble-riggers and ballot box
suffers
And we are forced to admit that al
though there Is a strong demand in the
State at large for amendment OF <his
state Of things, we see as yet no purpose
of any radical legislation in The d.
rectlon of honest elections by this Degls-
lature. The interviews with members
which we have published from time 70
time are very discouraging, the Elections
Committee of each House Is so organic
ed that a majority of each is opposed to
any amendment of the election law. and,
to tell the truth. it looks as though a
proposition in the Democratic caucus 10
so ameLd that law as to make frauds
impossible would be voted down by an
overwhelming majority.
| We well understand how this is a mem
Der from county A in the black belt rises
in the caucus and asks his brethren from
the white counties If they are going to
turn. the white people Of county A over
to the negroes, and the appeal carries the
representatives Of the white constituent
cies, and they consent that the whole
fabric Of Virginia elections shall remain
rotten ard corrupt that the people Of
county A may be saved from possibly a
real-but generally pretended negro rule.
And this may never end. boss Of the
party sitting at Richmond stuffs the bal
lot boxes in the black belt with votes
enough when added to what his machine
car get in the white counties 10 retain
control of the state and he remains
forever boss of the State by fraudulent
elections.
But we do not despair. Tho moral
sense Of the members of our Legislature,
the very truth about the pretence OF neg
70 domination as is well known to them,
the preponderance in favor Of honesty test
ed by any rule except that Of the grosscst
seihshness in certain politicians in shor;
every consideration Of material inter
est-without any appeal 70 an ennobling
sentiment. all demand that there shall be
radical changes In our election laws.