The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-02-23

bear met him. or went into the house and
leaned his hand on the wall and SER
pont bit him
AT the close OF the polls the law (sec-
ton lSO requires that the Judges shall
| Immediately proceed 10 CANVAS the
| votes. and they shall take tho ballots
| out Of the box and count them, and II
there arc too many ballots. by a process
| OF elimination which is laid down, the
number OF ballots shall be made to agree
with the number OF persons who have
voted This IS done by the judges alone
and both judges and clerks are required
10 attest the books in which the number
OF ballots are made to agree with the
number OF names on the poll books
AFTER the poll books are thus signed
and attested. the judges shall II desired
in the presence OF not exceeding two
friends Of each political party represented
by the persons voted for in such election,
proceed 10 count and ascertain the num-
Der OF votes cast for each person voted
for" Section 1900.
Il will be observed that no person rep
resenting any person voted for-nor' in
fact. any other person-is permitted 70 be
in the voting place while the judges are
"CANvAssINo" the ballots. One Of the
unobtrusve provisions Of the Parker
Walton law is that the electoral board
shall give to the judges OF each voting
precinct twice as many official ballots
as there are voters registered at the pre-
cinct for which it is intended" (section @.
This same law also artlcssly provides
that "all ballots remaining unused at
tho close OF the polls shall be carefully
destroyed" and says that this destruc-
ton shall be before the box IS opened
(section 100.
Now, what IS the situation when the
polls are closed There are the Judges OF
election appointed by an extreme partisan
board, and often appointed because they
are themselves utterly INSCRIPTIONS, shut
up in a room ALONE, with the ballot
box and a large number Of unmarked bal
lots, and supposing that every voter reg
istered at the precinct had voted, there
would still be an equal number OF ball
lots unusued in their hands. What then
is there to prevent them from fixing the
unusued ballots exactly as they pleased.
taking the ballots out Of the box. burning
or otherwise carefully destroying them
as the law requires, replacing the ballots
which have been fixed TO their own taste
in the box, counting them so as TO make
them tally exactly with the number Of
voters on the poll books, and then with
everything arranged, 10 open the doors
and invite tho friends Of the candidates
to come in and see the counting done?
Every trace OF the "presto-change-act'
having been by law carefully destroy
cd"
This is nothing but a plain description
Of the modus operandi which is thorough
" arranged and adjusted in the law. To
carry it out effectually only requires the
appointment Of men who are willing to
do it. To get such men it is only neces-
sary to choose electoral boards who will
appoint them. and to the Legislature is
given the power to make the choice, and
this choice is about to be made. The
voters are helpless.
The truth is that the election law in
Virginia is a revolving farce on the very
face Of it. The virus which was intend
ed only for the negro counties has rapid
ly extended into the white counties, and
the greatest complaints are now heard
from those places where the negro is not
a considerable element at ALL
1t is only a question Of time when I'm
the natural course Of events there viii
either be an irresistible revulsion against
this iniquity, or the people Of Virginia
will have lost the last vestige Of char
acter and self-respect. There can be no
doubt that the revulsion will take place,
and the men who have been parties TO
this debauchery Of the State Will be held
in utter contempt and horror.
If we have made any mistakes in this
statement Of the practical working Of the
Parker-Walton law. will some one Of its
defenders please point them out. If we
have not. we believe there are brave and
true men in the Legislature who cannot
get their own consent to continue the
existence Of such shameful law upon