The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-12-02


force to the dependent widows Of Con-
federate soldiers. 4
CONFEDERATE SOLDIERS HOME.
This institution, founded by private
subscriptions and conducted by board
composed OF Confederate soldiers who
give their time and service without any
monetary consideration, Is doing noble
work, but in spite Of the boards most
earnest efforts. they have been unable
to meet the demands made upon them
| from oil parts of the State. The Home
Is taxed to It's utmost capacity, and
yet many meritorious applications for
admission are on file awaiting vacan-
cies caused by deaths. In the mean
! time the applicants are living on prI-
Fate charity. or perhaps too proud to
accept 1t, are struggling to keep body
and soul, together by earning pittances,
while In pain of body and anguish of
mind they engage daily In mental labor.
he strongly urges that q larger appre-
priation for the benefit Of the Home be
made. at present the State contributes
$4,000 Annually towards It's support.
me aEgregatf appropriations for the
years OF 1S95-'96, and 1S96-'97, respec-
lively, to educa tlonal institutions, not
including the Deaf and Dumb and
Blind Institution, which should be con-
siuefed an eleemosynary, was $135, 900.
Inc aggregate amount appropriated for
pehsicrs and to Lee Camp Soldiers
Home was $4,000.
lie recommends that If the revenues
9l the State are not sufficient to meet
,,vi necessary expenses, sustain her
Popllo schools. pay the Interest upon
her public debt. continue her appro-
prlations to her colleges and enlarge
inc sum set apart for pensions and IN,
the maintenance OF the Soldiers Home
reduction OF the appropriations 10 our
educational institutions, and, as an act
VI Justlce, an application of the amount
tikeh OH to the usual approximations
Ior pensions and to the Soldiers Home
ms VIII gladden. the heart OF many an
Ola veteran. discharge the OBLIGATION
mat Is binding upon the conscience of
me state and work no wrong or hard
snip in any direction.
ELECTIONS.
Inc Governor recommends material
changes In our election laws The pres
ent statute Is by no means satisfactory
10 10 a vast majority Of the people of tho
STATE and opposition to 1t Is not CON
ilneu To any political party. The in
teErlty OF our elections is questioned
uhu our system is impeachcd. Our ex-
isitns law, when enacted, was alleged
10 be In the interest of q free, honest
uhtammeled and unpurchased ballot
ana TO prevent the use of money and
nv, ohuSeI!hE Oh voters at the polls
Ihat our elections since have been more
quiet and orderly, and the opportunit los
70 purchase venal voters minimized,
must DC admitted. To this extent the
present system Is immeasurably bet
ter IMAM the system prior to rhe act
or lSo3-94. and Familiarity known ms tho
anderson Mccormick law" But there
- III me existing act provisions which
make fraud easy. and tend to cast sus-
hTs nj
upon the purposes of the act, So that
Whlle the new law has It's advantages
over the old law, 1t has its evils for n
virtually disfranchises many and opens
wide the door for corruption and dis
honesty: 1t has proved failure and
saiou'd pc amended, retaining what Is
good and discRrdlnE what Is bad In II.
No State, IL she values a fnir Mans
can AFFORD to carry on her statute book
an elective system which has not the
Senerhl endorsement or her most rcDut-
able citizens. No State can AFFORD IN
retain election methods which, I'm the
opinion OF many of her best citizens,
leau 10 fraudulent practices and untrue
returns. No State can afford to allow
doubts to be cast by her own people
upon the purity OF her ballot boxes. Ii
she believes there is even a semblancn
OF reasonable ground for the charge
that the system is being converted
INTO an engine to register the will Of
certain election officials, or n political
party the sooner she removes the
ground the better. for her morally.
socially and commercially She should
pant hehseif on the imprcgnable rock
OF virtue and be free from suspcion
When She does this she has built on
foundations of permanency and pros
perity
NO better evidence of the Imperfect
ION OF the law rs 1t stands Is need I'd
thah the thousands of defective or i'm
properly marked ballots that have been
thrown out in every election since the
law was enactcd--ln some Instances ms
many as onc-third or onc-half of the
pailots deposited. 1t shows that the
mode is too Intricate for the illiterato
voters to prepare their own ballots cor
rectiE, or that the officials entrusted
10 mark the ballots of the illitcrate yot
ers are often either corrupt or too
ignorant to discharge their duty. I'm
perfect ballots were very rarely cast
prior to 1891.
He recommends am emblem ballot.
ana the display of an exact rcpresen tSl
ton Of this ballot in the public press.
anu on the day of election at the polls
10 enable the voters to become familiar
with it. AS to the further details he
VIII MAKE no suggestion, excent To saw
mai the manner of marking the hall6t
should be made rs simple as possible.
1t is alleged that frequently Judges
are appointed who are so ignorant rs
not TO he able to read or write. or
course such appointments are absolute
W larcicaL 1t Is placing the machinery
of our free institutions by which mil.
lie servants arc selected and the popu
lar Will ascerta!ned i'll charge of mon
thoroughly incapable and entrustirr
the elective rights of the people 10 the
Seep:ng of officials who are as power
less as If they We're blind, to detect ar
prevent fraud. and secure a fair count
ana honest retprn The ballot boxes