Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1899-10-12
THURSDAY, OCTOBER u, 1899.
A FAIR ELECTION LAW.

1t is now admitted by all honest men in
Virginia, no matter to what political party
they belong, that the present election law
is UBIQUITOUS and demoralizing. Even
some of those politicians in the eastern
part of the State who have pro6ted by its
opportunities for frauds are beginning to
find fault with its operations. They claim
that bribery in elections has increased 10
such an extent that it means financial ruin
to the man who becomes a candidate for
Office, and destruction to tie moral sense
of the voter-witness the recent utterances
of Senator Barkesdale, of Halifax coanty.
There is no doubt that bribery of voters
in Virginia has been largely increasing in
the past few years. 1t is common
thing to hear of men who few years ago
would have considered it an insult to be
offered money for their votes now not only
receiving but actually soliciting compenl
sation for their suffrage. Such radica-
change in the moral tone of a number of
our citizens could not have been produced
by anything but radical cause; and that
cause we believe has been and is the
Democratic election laws, made to perpet
uate the power of the Democratic party.
The whole spirit and motive of the present
election laws of our Commonwealth are so
suggestive of fraud that a knowledge of
their provisions tends to make the voters
Indifferent to honesty. They can see that
the plan and purpose of those who made
the law and those who use it was and is to
manipulate the elections in their own
interest, without any regard for honesty.
Under the pretext that the law was made
to control the negro vote in the eastern
part of the Stateit has been made to apply
with equal force to the white districts
Is it strange, then, that voters have be-
come mercenary? When they are con-
WINGED that ballot thievinc has been ere.
ated and sanctioned by legislative enact.
ment, and, incidentally, by judicial con-
etr,,otio, 70 - oD,, ,ror Jo, tbot tho,, boo;,,
trsell their votes for price? They argue
that it is no more immoral for them to sell
their votes than it is for the sworn officers
of elections to cheat. Those who purchase
votes justify on the same theory.
A fair, honest election law, which would
prevent cheating at the ballot would dc
more to stop bribery of individual voters
than anything else that can be done. The
necessity for "fghting the devil with fire.
would be removed, and men would not be
go willing to sell when they were voting
under the provisions of law that's honest
and that is honestly administered. A few
more years Of the Walton election law will
almost destroy the moral tone of the PEG.
pie of Virginia. Our safety as a people
demands reformation. The only refor-
nation which will prove effective will be
the enactment of an election law which
will preclude any possibility of cheating
the voter, and thereby remove the oppor-
tunity or desire on his part to sell. The
law should be such as to enable each voter
to select and prepare his own ballot with
out the assistance of any person, and in
such private way that no personal in
fuence could operate upon him in its
preparation. The ignorant voter would
then know that he was accorded an equal
privilege with the more intelligent voters,
and would place higher value on his
suffrage than he does under law Which
places his ballot at the mercy of tricksters
and thieves.
When we have law which will give every
man fair ballot and an honest count We
will see bribery in elections an unknown
quantity in Virginia. Under the present
election law bribery is the natural Sc
quence of the other vices created by the
operations of that law.