New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-10-18

my TELEGRAPH To TUE TRIBUNr.1
Richmond. Va. oct. 17.-At least five Of the
70, Congress districts in this State are normally
Renublican. IN each Of them a majority Of the
voters are Republicans. and in several the ma
.or,.ies are large But the party is heavily
handicapped that the Democratic leaders are
confidently counting on a victory in every dis
,rict and ny the most hopeful Republican the
success Of his party in even three Of the dis
,ricfs would be regarded as an agreeable sur
,risn The causes OF this condition of affairs are
noev for any intelligent observer who has been
IN tho least familiar with Virginia politics of the
LAST twelve years to perceive. The story OF the
election law enacted Ly Democratic Legisat-
me- and desienedly framed not to prevent but
70 permit and encourage election frauds under
color OF legal authority, is an old one. the
amendments 10 ;he law which were adopted IN
,esvrnse 20 a demand from the law abiding
rcople q tho state. irrespective Of party. which
the Democratic managing politicians dared not
,rrc~e were shrewdly devised to perpetuate and
STRENGTHEN the agencies Of fraud and corruption
'rre administration of the law has gone from
TAD 10 worse and The partisan clutch upon it
has grown stronger year by year. until the last
pretence OF politca! decency and fairness has
been cas-, aside To such an extent has this
gone that when General Walker. the Republican
Gently offered II mis- Democratic opponent
would agree to the appointment OF one election
officer at each precinct who a Republican.
70. 20 accept a certificate of election unless the
returns gave him majority Of 1000 or more,
the offer was curly refused with the remark in
substance that "a Democratic election law must
be executed by Democratic officials General
Walkers opponent IS a man who wears the title
Of Judge"
A NEW SCHEME OF FRAUD ALLEGED.
I; is well understood throughout the State
that new device Of fraud Is 10 he called into
re9uisiton this year wherever II is practicable
and safe 10 do so. In order to insure maJoriteS
so big for the Democratic candidates as to pre-
vent any afterclaps in the shape Of appeals to
the House of Representatives, and at the same
time make an apparent showing Of uniform
Democratic gains and Republican losses. The
scheme is simply to transfer ten votes in each
precinct from the Republican 10 the Democratic
column Of the election return. 1t is fairly
safe as well as a shrewd one, and. as the law is
now administered It is also a practicable one
There have been some evasive denials from
Democrats that such a scheme in COntem-
rlation but evidence 70 the contrary is in exist
ence which. It is asserted by Republicans. can
not be gainsaid, and which will be made public
at later dav.
In 1896 the Republican managers In several Of
the districts. IN order 10 procure testimony from
electors showing how they had voted offered
facilities 10 enable the latter voluntarily 10 de-
clare, under oath. and on the day of election. for
whom their ballots had been cast. This proceed
ing and It's results gave to dishonest election
officers and the benehciares Of their dishonesty,
who received certificates Of election To Congress.
a good deal Of trouble and was, to some extent,
instrumental in unseatng two Of the latter.
Hence the discovery Of the Democratic mana
gers that the proceeding referred TO was una W
full inasmuch as Virginia has what is called the
Australian ballot and the taking Of an electors
andavit showing how he has voted is a violation
or the secrecy Of the ballot They expect by
threats Of Indictment and prosecution in the
State courts TO prevent the taking of any such
testimony next month
WHERE REPUBLICANS ARE AT FAULT.
But the Republicans Of Virginia are them
selves largely responsible for the existing con-
dtion Of affairs. which will probably result in
the loss OF at least two or three Congress dis
trcts which they ought to carry despite the
corrupt administration OF the election law by
Democratic officials. The Republican State
Committee is in the hands Of men to whom the
management and control Of the party machinery
seem to mean nothing more than the personal
their friends: men who. II they can control and
manipulate official patronage" enjoy a fair
share Of the honors and emouments Of Office
themselves. and control the appointment OF dele
gates 70 Republican National conventions, care
Nttl- or nothing about the political complexion
% the National House % Representatives. or
the success or failure Of any National policy OF
their party Some Of them are men who were
most vociferous IN their denunciatons OF the
Malone machine a few years ago. which, com
pared with the one they now control was IN
some respects rather mild sort Of tyranny. In
two Of the Republican Congress districts Whlch
are naturally the strongest I'm the state, the
State Committee is responsible for the TACT that
opposing Republican candidates are IN the neio
10 divide the Republican vote against single
Democratic candidate Even in this, the flch-
nond district which is hopelessly DemocTauc
under the manipulation Of partisan eIecuoh OH
calr TWO Republican candidates were nominal
el There Is much other evidence Which tehus
10 show that a rule or ruin policy has been
adopted and that in order 70 perpetuate us own
control Of the party machinery the state Com
lnilteo through some Of its members and
agents has resorted to methods and practices
which a~e scarcely less unfair or morally oD-
noxous than those for which they denounce
the Democratic managers.
IN THE CONGRESS DISTRICTS.
In the LIST District the capcida'eS dIe
Rev. J. s. Bristow. Republican. and W. a.
Jones. Democrat. The latter was retuI"eu ~
elected in 1895 by a plurality Of lib votes
and All! undoubtedly be again so returned '"'
year He is = member Of the Democratic Con-
gressional Committee, and is said 10 DE '"e
author Of the discovery that it Is Vioia'io" -
The secrecy OF the ballot FOR an e1ector -
testify after an election as TO how ne No'eu'
The district is one that offers little or no III