The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-02-17
Warning the People.

Editor of The Times:
Sir.-I have been a pretty constant
reader of your paper for the last nail
decade or longer, and it gives me pleasure
to say that, realizing your environments,
as 1 do, your mission has been a usetul
enc, and it is to be hoped may eveituaiiy
prove "a more thoroughly successful one
than the present poitlcal prospects po-lAI
TO-.
Your note of warning in your leader OF
the 10Th of January, under the caption
"A Word With the People," timely and
conservative though it be, will almost
inevitably prove seed falling upon stony
ground The nachinists are in the sad
die, and the bright and shining lights OF
those speaking the language OF the tribe
are in command, and undoubtedly Will
issue the edicts i'm accordance with which
the proceedings of the special session OF
the Legislature, now sitting, will be deter
mined upon, we'll as the subsequent
proceedings of the Constitutional Conven-
ton. Rest assured that the politicians
influence wiil be brought to bear and like
wise that of the corporations, these DelnS
the two influences against which you
warned the people in the leader referred
to.
Our Junior Senator's election has not
been forgotten by the thoughtful people
of Virginia, nor the means generaMy
believed to have been used to defeat the
choice OF the peerless soldier. General
Fitz. Lee, whom a great majority of the
Virginia people wished. to represent them
in the United States Senate.
With all the wonderful progress and
production of recent years, we have yet
to see thorns produce grapes or thistles
produce figs. j St SO soon Will men
gather grapes from thorns or 1iss from
tllistIes'' as the Virginia people will secure
a fair and honest expression of their Will
at an election held under the present
infamous election law, which disgraces
the Code of Virginia.
In your issue of January the ed, under
the heading Healthy Talk dfsfraschise-
ment of the negro lis advocated, on the
ground that it WIZ lead to political
emancipation in Virginia, and will lib
crate the members OF the Democratic
party dissatisfied with the party, but held
in it either by the fear of negro rule or
the lack of respectatility in the South
in the Republican party
AS to the fear of negro rule in Virginia,
it is a bugaooo. pure and simple. Assto'
..respectabiiity'' in political parties, that
is a quality not easily defined in this
progressive era; something which may be
said to be matter Of taste. Let US apply
to it the ancient Horatien motto-i. e.,
DE gustibus non dEsputandum There
are those Git may be that they are not
50 numerous as they once were in Eir-
ginaa) who hold fraud. larceny, and per-
jury to be anything but, significant Of
r.spectability and yet the fraction of the
Democratic party VINO lin your opinson)
need .ena rcipat5on have seen these
Ordinarily corsidered) crimes grow
directly out of the present Virginia cleo
ton law and still have remained in the
party of resi- ectabllity. 4
means euphoniol1s: still, it IS the naked
truth, and the files of your journal will
fully Substa ntyate 1t.
The ma nipulators OF ballots do the Grim
ina1 part and the rank and file of the
party condone, or, as q rule. fail to speak
out against, the foul proceedings. God
save the old Commonwealth! the Old
Doninion! the mother of Presidents,
States, and statesmen. Truly the days OF
turil2
we can only hope that the good people
of old Virginia (a,ld we believe and know
there are many such) may rise to the
height of their great opportunity and
arouse tone of public sentiment
throughout the State which VIII put an
effective quietus upon our present depior-i
able political machinery, which has SO.
demoralized our people, a sentiment which
will result in a repeal of the present cleo
ton law and the enactment of statute
wil en- will secure a far and full express sion,
of the public VIII in future elections.
Virginia is Ito be congratulated upon.
the election Of Judge WTnittle5 to the Court
of Appeals. Among those aspiring to the!
high position he8is probably. best fitted
to have the spotless mantle Of Judge Rielys
fall upon his shoulders, and viii no doubt
keep the judiciaa ermame untarnashed by
5partisan-v and prejudice May his election
prove q 1arbtnger Of more lofty ideals and.