The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-12-20
majority OF .1es. while forty-seven coun-
ties. with 125,147 majority of white voters,
only returning Democratic majority OF

inaJoTlly OF 16.l2S. WINE loT ly-seseH couH-
ties. with 125.147 majority of white voters,
only returning a Democratic ma jority Of
1901.
This is a startling comparison.
We might carry this investigation far
ther, but enough has been cited TO dis
close the fact that the Democratic party
must be careful lest it lose its supremacy
IN the white counties. and thereby make
Republicans supremacy in the State, not
only possible, but probable.
Mr.. Editor. there must be reasons, In
deed, for this condition OF affairs. The
great body of white voters of Virginia
are naturally and instinctively Demo
cratic F1om 1863 to 1896 they stood UT.
finchingiy by. the faith of the fathers Oh
democracy. They were as true to !. %
the needle to the pole or ''the olal ~
the sun Nothing could shake ti,ei''
nothing could ,swerve them. Ihei1' NE
came before them in 1896 new uoc1 tl me-
winch many of them refused TO cspo",
They, who disscnted, were aouseu Gnu
Nllllled and dcrided without IheiSs
the big lights and the little lights y, ..'s
dominant faction. This new ooctril's
went down at the polls, and they VINO had
opposed it hoped this was the END OF IL;
and that the Democratic party Woutd
have no more of it. But again 1t must
be Haunted, and making Dellei III IL tiiS
test of Democracy. ard torsaklhS az lne
cherished tenets of the party, the ie'i"
ers, with an abandon ana reckiessAesS
that was surprising, plunged the- pa.
into the abyss Of another oFeI"ieiiiiit'7
defeat.
Since then these same leaders nave oee'.
foundering about in the mid-ocean o.
their own folly. without rudder, compass,
or guiding star, and to-day the party
stands before the country without any
we'll defined principles or policy. unoer
these conditions many Democrats nave
become disheartened and have determined
% take their ease. while others, dlsSusteu'
have Glitted into the Republican ranks.
But, while these things had their III
hucnce it was confined WITHIN the liti'-
its Of the class referred to; there are
other things, however which have oper-
atcd upon the minds of Democratic Eot-
ers of all classes, more or less. what
are these things?
TirSt-Therc was q widespread feellnS
that there was no necessity Tor a state
Convention; yet many voted for 4, mop
ing that good would result. ana that'
above al! else, the convention would pro-
vide an election system which would IN
sure fair and honest elections, and MAKE
corruption practically impossible. But
during a session of five months prior to
600. or more. 10 such system was even
suggested; but, on the contrary, every
thing seemed to Indicate q determination
to merely supplant the present system
fraught with opportunities Tor lrau"-
with another system, equally as pdu,
and only differing from the present III
exchanging the secret ballot-marker Tor
the registrar armed with the understand
ing clause
i,,It1
to vote for the convention, was a desire
to so reform the suffrage clause as TO
eliminate the vicious, bad and worthless
voter without cffectns the honest. Ia
boriouS and worthy voter. regardless OIL
his worldly possessions or his educatlonal
requirements. But. instead thereof, they
have found a disposition to create an
ariStocratic class under "a grandfather
clause" or an understanding clause
and to set UP a property-holders dynasty
and to strike from the poll list every
man who is unable to read OF eNpound Il
Constitution which learned judges will be
constituting for the next twenty years
though he may be a better citizen IN all
the material Clements OF citizenship than
many who have their large bank accounts
and many dudish fellows with their heads
crammed with booS-learning.
Third-They voted for the convention
in convention assembled, as they under
stood it, and as the convention intended
they should understand it, that what
ever, Constitution framed by the
Constitutional Convention should come to
them, with the right to vote for or against
it. Instead, however, they have 1ounu
their agents-made SO by their votes
and Democrats under party pledge, pro-
posing to make a Constitution TO suit
n nI-ra Z IN no
ganic law of the State, without reference
to the wishes of the people who sent
them and regardless Of the party pledge:
or, if they do not proclaim it, then. TO
submit it only to such of the people us
they may declare worthy to exercise the
right of suffrage.
In short, they propose either to ignore
all OF the people, or many OF the people.
who fonored them with their votes ana
made them their agents, and to cast ASIDE
like "a stained garment, the pledge of the
party to submit tho Constitution to the
people, upon the plea that the term the
DcoDle" did not mean all the enfran-
chised at the time, but only such as 1nlSht
be named by them in the exercise Of their
assumed, never delegated. power
Fourth-They were told that the exist
ing Constitution was a shame and DIS
grace to the State: that 1t was the enid
Of sin and the oHSpriHS oi !uid"ilS' W
securing the fact that the obJectlonaoic
and obnoxious clauses in the instrument,
as it came from the hands Of the con-
yentiOn which formulated it. were Strlck-
eu from it more than thrty-two years
ago.
They had seen their agents, the dele
gates in the present convention, laboring,
dcbatin;, and coutendnS for five months,
yet failing TO formulate q; better Con-
stitution; in fact agreeing upon no ma
tcrial changes. Most naturally their faith
in the representations made to them was
greatly shaken
These Mr. Editor, were the things
which in the late election operated against
Democratic success in the great white
counties Of Virginia. 1t was neither the