Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1900-11-22
ADDRESS TO REPUBLICANS OF The
NINTH DISTRICT.

To the Republican and Independent Vot'
ers of the 9th Congressional District OF
Virginia:
The Republican party has again been
defrauded, outraged and defeated. The
right preservative Of all rights has been
robbed of its time honored sacredness. The
suffrage of free men has been imposed up
on. The law has been made to strangle
independent thought and action. The &C.
curity of civil liberty has been menaced
under the "forms Of law" The fraud OF
1898 has been repeated, but upon 9 larger
scale.
Democratic laws, methods and practices
have made General James A. Walkers
defeat and Judge VIM. F. Rheas return
sure. The Democrats were given every |
advantage. They were consulted. The
Republicans were ignored. The law pro-
vides that Judges of election shall be
chosen from different political parties
This was "wilfully" Violated. The law
provides that "iudges shall be able to
read and write" This was disregarded
heretofore, and probably was this time.
This Democratic law also provides penalty
for "wilful' violation thereof, but de-
clares mo election invalid" if there is
"wlful failure to comply" Herewith. The
said law requires an oath against fraud,
deceit and abuse in conducting the elec-
tion." Who can doubt violation in face
of occurrences known of all men9 The
said law provides that the "said judges,
or majority of them, shall have power
from time to time, when, and as often as
they may see proper" to allow judges to
alternate in preparing ballots. The wlliul
and premeditated disregard thereof has no
precedent. The law provides that the Elec'
toral Boards and judges alone shall have
access to official ballots. Charges are made
that previously prepared ballots" were in
the hands of Democratic workers. The
Democratic Electoral Boards throughout
the 9th District of Virginia were requested
by me to allow the Republican County and
CITY Chairmen to submit list of "reput-
able and competent" men to act as Repu0'
lican representatives, (they were submit
ted) and to permit the policy of alternat-
, ing in the preparation of ballots. With a
few honorable exceptions that request was
disregarded, and the record is, that wher'
ever permitted no complaint has been
heard. and wherever denied the result
!, speaks more powerfully than words as to
= the enormity. The ballot provided was In
= defensible and incomparably unfair and
= can have no apologist among honorable
men, regardless of politics. Its construct
ion and printing was an insult and an out
RAGE ON honest manhood. Its conception
= was masterpiece of trickery that estab'
fishes it's originator as an artist in his line'
;, Its use was the sharp practice of desperate
:. men in desperate cause. Its handling by
voters provoked disgust and curses Of
honorable Democrats who threw It down
and refused to vote. Its arrangement
: compelled men, Democrats, Republicans
lawyers, professors, clergymen. GRADUATES
No of colleges, learned and unlearned, to de-
q pend upon the partizan scratchers selected
\ by admittedly unfair means and in pursu
a ance of conspiracy general and thorough
Why must these things be? Why den!
=. the Republicans the right to suggest "rep
:, usable and competent" men to represen
- them? The Democrats were consulted
40 Why refuse the Republicans the priv
a lege of the selection of a Republican t
~ prepare ballots when requested In
20 Democrats were permitted
Du Whv select disgruntled and discredite
at and disloyal men as Republican judges VIII
-. were known to be against General Wake
-. and in favor of Judge Rhea ? This va
10. done by Democrats.
Why appoint at multitudes Of precinct
in the District all Democrats as judges an
clerks, against the law in such case mad
ad and provided ? This was the act of Dem'
Sc. crats
m. Why construct and print ballot
he complicated and difficult as to embarra
ble the most cultured people, to say nothir
ith Of those less fortunate3 The Democra
The did that J
,ol. Why refuse to announce until the NOR
md ing of the election the names Of the judg
m. and clerks? The Democrats knowl Und
ofi the late Federal Election law each par
was permitted to suggest representative
tb. Such methods cannot be laid at the do
old of Republicanism. The policy OF inequ'
md Iity, illiberalty, radicallsm, outrage, frau
less imposition and dishonesty, was not ina
ok. gurated by Republicans. All reputat
, a and conservative men will admit this. 1
.elv enormity of the crime has startled our pt
ple. The publi@ conscience has be
s;sy aroused. independent thought and actl
we'd are threatened by the Democratic On
.oy,, Tyt1et