The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-10-30
THE REAL DANGER.

Tn few DAYS the peolhe On II e-.t.i.i
will be called upon TO elect d 'o''4
nor. Lieutenant-Go an 4Altoi-
ney-(,eucral and members OF the Les
islatrre. Some people laugh at Inc
newspapers and the stump-sl'e;lissis
for saving in every campaign tiias
..this is the most important eleeuoh
that the people have ever held but
when YOU come TO analyze it the pres
ent election is the most important.
All other elections are past ana gone
and the present election Is the iiost
important because it is the only cleo
ton Every election is important ana
ought 10 be so regarded by the peo-
Die. Elections are the means lhaN
men employ in 4 republican form o.
government TO settle their poiillcai us
putes and preserve their lnsututiohs'
Every election is. or should be, the eS-
preston of the will of the people, OF
The power Of the people. We say IN
this country that the people rule anu
so they do il they will. But the neo-
pie do not rule if they become indi!fef-
ent TO their elections and lei the pro
fessional politicians have their way.
Show us any community in which the
people pay little or no attention 10
their elections and we will show you
a boss-!fdden community. II popular
government ever becomes 4 failure 1t
will be through corrupt elections and
Indifferent elections.
The Democratic party in Virginia
has been in power so long that DEM
ocrats seem to take it for granted that
the party will continue in power Bun
the Democratic party is no stronger
than its constituency. The Democratic
party came into power years ago DC
cause The Democrats of the State rose
ND in their might and oyerthrew Tie
Republican regime and set up a Dem
ocratic regime. The victory was 50
complete that the Republicans became
discouraged and the Democratic party
went on from victory TO victory until
the Republican party became dlso:-
ganized and demoraliZed: and it was
q simple thing after that to keep the
Democratic party in power although
in some Of our elections Democratic
voters were more or less Indifferent.
But in this campaign the Republicans
have pulled themselves together III The
hope that they may take advantage OF
seem to be dissatisfied and disaffectrd.
to run their candidates in. The Re-
publicans are not strong enough to
carry this election, but they can car
ry it and will carry it if the great body
of Democrats throughout the State
fail to turn out and vote We must
not overlook the fact that the Repu!D-
lican party is in the saddle: that it has
Il full ticket nominated; that there are
other tickets in the field which will
draw more or less from the Democratic
party. The negroes are easily organ
lied and it is to be presumed that in
the coming election they will vote in
large numbers. And so we say that
II the Democrats permit this election
to go by default. Mr.. Hoge will be The
next Governor of Virginia and The
Republicans will have a majority in
the Legislature.
If such a thing should happen, there
would be wailing in the land and there
would be CONSERVATION. and the peo-
pie would be in j condition bordering
ON panic. Such Il result is awful 10
contemplate. We have had our full
share of Republican rule in this State
and werknow what it means. 1t will
be too late TO weep and vail and
gnash our teeth when the Republicans
are in control There is but one WAY
to prevent such a disaster in Virginia,
and that is for the Democrats TO go
to the polls on clection-1ay and vote a
straight ticket for the regular party
nominees, The Democrat who fails
TO do this will fail to discharge his
duty as Il good citizen of Virginia.
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