The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-03-17
Enfrancl,ise the Whites.

Editor of The Times:
Sir. = The Constitutional Convention
soon to meet will have many grave queS-
tons to consider and to decide. ABOVE
all others towers one question: oiall ilt
new Constitution enfranchlse the "hite
men of Virginia, the great mass OF whom
arc now disfranchiscd? Discussion goes
on as to who shall so to the convention
and as TO how the negro vote shall be
eliminated But there seems to be no
appreciation Of the fact, either on the
part of the people or of the public press,
that the white men of the State are now
disfranchised and that under the ne"
Constitution they will continue to DC dis
franchiSed unless d change shall De mace
in the election laws now in force. L OF
MANY wears The Times has earnestly ana
coura geously fought for honest elections
Surely no man can question ltS SIN
cerity or devotion to this cause, Knowing
that The Times has gone against It's own
prospect of immediate political influence
and peclniary gain? Seldom is II that
:, newspaper forgets the matter Oh busl-
ness as shown by the receipts of its
counting room. And rarely does any
public journal put truth and honor and
iOs;ico and patriotism above money max
ING. That The Times has for years de-
liberatelv and knowingly hraved public
sentiment and sacrificed the pecunlary IN
tarestS of its stockholders is beyond qieS-
ton. That it has done this not only
upon one question. but upon many ques-
tions, is equally true
That this course has been prompted by
a solemn sense of duty, by conscientious
conviction, by broad minded patriotism,
by public spirit and by intellectual IN
dependence is recognized and acknoWl-
edged by we'll Informed and thoughtiui
men of all parties throughout the State.
In saying this | do not mean that the
record of The Times upon public ques-
lions has been consistent, that it has not
made serious mistakes or that it is not
likely TO continue TO make mistakes here
after. The Times has won a place in
the confidence and esteem of the people
not as a political prophet whose utter
ances are accepted as words of lnSplrd-
ton, not as a leader to whom men &C
Knowledge personal fealty and follow
biindly Few papers are more frequently
critical, but the honesty of its conNlc-
lions, the integrity of its purpose ana
the patriotism of its spirit are now gen
eralIv understood. SO much 1t has seemed
proper to say before expressing my IN
ability to understand the present attitude
of The Times upon the question OF re-
right to vote In season and out OF sea
son The Times has never hesitated to
denouncc the election laws now III force
and to expose the election methods now
in use 1t has Steadfastly maintained
that the State must be rescued from the
demoralzing effects of dishonest cleo
lions But now when the crisis has been
reached. when the hour is at hand which
shall determine this most vital of all pub
lie questions for many years to come,
where is The Times? Still dealing i'll
clittering eeneralitieS and discussing the
question of honest elections from a phil
osophic standpoint. while the practical
issue OF the hour seems to have escaped
its notice The people OF Virginia ought
10 know without any telling that perjury
and fraud in elections arc morally wrong.
What they need 10 be told is how to
fad a remedy for the evils from which
we are suffering.
Has The Times forgotten that the
white vote of this State is as effectualiy
and completely suppressed under the
present election laws as the negro vote?
Has The Times lost sight OF the fact
that the most enterprsing and success
fui business men Of Virginia have no
voice in elections?
Does The Times take no heed of the
fact that the most distinguished and most
eminent men in. the professional walks
of life-lawyers, ministers. physicians,
and teachers in colleges and schools-are
DISTINGUISHED?
Does The Times not know that James