The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-12-07
WEDNESDAY. DECEMBER 7, 1895.
QUALIFIED sUFFRAGE-AGAIN.


stone Wa) Courier, reproduces from
,hasa columns a recent article on the
subject of qualified suffrage, and adds
this comment:
First we wish to congratulate The
Times upon having at last comprehehoeu
the only true and proper solution Oh me
very perplexing questions that nave asl-
fatcd the thoughts Of all true Virgin
,ans who have the interest and good name
of their State at heart, and are I'M
trammeled by any policy OF personal am
hilton or political intrigue Secondly we
wish TO graduate It. that having arrived
at these conclusions, Or as eApresseu'
modified it's views" il has the courage
10 fearlossly express them Not that
we are surprised at either. we hopeu
The Times would finally see the proper
solution: and having seen IT, we knew IL
would have the courage to express ~.
The Courier has always been a strong
and uncompromising advocate of a con-
stitutional convention and If we mistake
not. was the first paper in Virginia to de-
clare for II This under "a former man
agement The growing evils OF an uhre-
stricted suffrage were seen then, ana the
rapidity with which they are fast reach-
ing monster proportions creates a sun
greater desire that something should be
ont the hideousness of the demon.
we long 10 see the time when we Will
no more behold the abhorent spectacle
OF being forced to appeal to the basef IN
stincts of prejudice or amnesty OF
seemingly intelligent man 10 come out
and vote for the maintenance OF Anglo
Saxon supremacy instead OF appealing
TO his higher reason and intelligence on
,,o,itical economy We long for TIE
-. of
nover more be tainted with the suspicion
of election frauds. or be smirched with
these accusations before the eyes of the
world.
We make our acknowledgements TO the
Courier for its kind reference to Ihe
Times. but we have taken this course
not for the praise Of man but in the In
terest. as we believe. Of good government
and good morals We have for years
been calling attention to dishonest cleo
ton practices in Virginia and in other
Southern States, not to make sensa-
ton. not to hurt the Democratic party
not TO promote the interests of any po-
ltical Clique. not with any view to Gre
ating disoord In the party ranks ana max
an. a macmillan following fo- The Times.
If we know ourselves cur motive mas
been much higher than this. The Times
Is a Virginia institution, all its interests
and associations are here, having Deeh
here from the beginning and will be here
until the end From the bottom OF our
heart we love this old Commonwealth
and it's noble people. Therefore IL mas
been anything but agreeable to us TO De
advertising to the world, as necessarily
was the case. that elections In some
parts of virginia were farcical and ana
not register or return the true vote OF the
people. Eut disagreeable as was this
duty. when we found out for ourselves
that this sort of thing was going on we
could not conscientiously hold our peace
and by our silence seem to give assent
10 this great evil. We believed that II
was the duty OF public journal to eA-
nose the fraud and TO call upon the hon
est and law-abiding citizens OF Virginia
10 put it away from them. we mace
this fight at great sacrifice we say 10
our own feelings, knowing from the be-
ginning tndl We Noulu W hi'JNNeNN 49,
harshly criticized but we determined TO
make 1t a fight to the finish. We deter
mined that we would never compromise
with ballot-box stufiins. but We were
met constantly with the argument tha'
IN the black districts these practices were
necessary in order TO prevent negro rule
and while we did not and do not believe
81. we have finally come 10 the conciu-
sion that so long as there Is even a
threat OF negro rule IN any section OF
virginia the present system will be con-
, tinued. We believe that anything hon
est Is better than dishonest elections
for we believe that nothing Is more de
moralizing and corruptiLg. Therefore Nj
meet the apologists on their own ground
ana say 10 them If you viii grarantes
an honest ballot through constitutional
amendment we viii assist you in getting
such an amendment adopted"
But we save the point that any meas
ure that may be adopted must be honest
aad must deal honestly with all classe:
d voters without regard to their race
And we say this not IN the interest Of
tho negro. but IN the interest OF the white
man We say that the people of Vlr
gina cannot maintsin sshemselves np