The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-10-30
FRIDAY. OCTOBER 80, 1908.
THE PARTY LAW.

Our afternoon contemporary, in Its edi-
don of yesterday, published the following
Communication:
Editor of Inc News Leader:
In regard to the Henrico contest for the
office OF treasurer, have 10 say If was
controlled by my feelings ! would vote
Tor Mr.. Brauer; but l am capable OF
baking more intelligent view Of the
hight Of suffrage, and you are. think,
greatly mistaken in supposing that SO
sguuy voters of Henrico are confused at
the pol teal state of affairs IN the Coun-
y, as there isn't anything to preVe.t a
fairly informed man from voting for Mr..
Todd. Mr. Brauer was proven guilty OF
Violating the Barksdale pure election
taw, and Mr.. Brauer confessed that he
paid Mr. Green money, etc. Now with
al due respect to the County and State
Comntittees, this is all the information a
voter wants to know So the case is so
nlain that "he who runs may read.
From what hear and see. the only tn nS
about the affair is that the two Richmond
daily papers, having devoted so much
SPACE for the past years in recommend
ing an Improvement in our politics aud
ELECTION methods, We had the best reason
to think that under the new Consolation
and with the Barksdale pure election law
our candidates and our elections would
we have the News Leader and the Times
Dispatch recommending candidate that
violated the law In the start; and, worse
still, Mr.. Barksdale comes away from
his Halifax home to assist in whoopng
up candidate who is defeated under
the Rarksdale pure election law.
Now, Mr.. Editor you can imagine the
voters surprise at the situation and in
The slang Of the day, ask where are we
"at?"
HENRY HARRISON.
October IS, 1903
AS our name has been called, we beg
leave to say few words in reply. There
Is nothing inconsistent in the position
Of The Tinaes-Dspatch, nor, SO far as
we can see, in the position Of the News
Leader. But our contemporary is abund-
antly able to take care of itself
So far as The Times Dispatch is con-
cerned. 1T is not necessary to say that
1t is heartily in favor Of the Barksda!e
pure elections law and desires to see It
enforced in letter and spirit. It was
law and the County Committee very
properly made q thorough invest CATION.
It then decided by majority vote tnat
the charge was sustained on two counts
and that Mr.. Brauer was, therefore, not
entitled to receive tnea certificate OF NOM
ination. = :"
If the case had ended here, The Times
Dispatch would have approved the find
1ngs of the committee, and II Mr.. Brauer
had then determined to run, this paper
would have opposed him and stood by
the regular nominee.
But Mr.. Brauer took an appeal. as was
hts right as a Democrat. to the STATE
Central Committee and that committee,
which is the authority supreme In the
party organization reversed the decision
OF the County Committee. 1t, too, made
n thorough Investigator and unanimous
ly decided that the charges against Mr.,
IBrauer were not sustained and that he
| was emit lied TO the nomination, having
received plurality Of all the votes cast
In the party primary. Therefore, in the
view of The Times Dispatch Mr.. Brauer
has ben acquitted of the charge OF vlo-
lating the pure elections law and stands
before the voters as though the charge
had never been made.
Senator Barksdale author OF the pure
elections law and naturally zea,ous ad-
yocate OF It's enforcement, is a member
OF the State Committee and heard the
evidence in the Brauer-Todd- Hechler con-
test He did not hesitate TO sidp with
the State Committee and moro than that
he has ON several occasions since gone
before the voters OF Henrico and told
them that lie charges against Mr.. Braue.
were tlmsy and In no way sufficient to
convict him. In short, Mr. Barksdale is
positive that Mr.. Brauer did not violate
the law. and he has gone on the stump
in advocacy OF his election
In vow OF these facts. there was but
one course left for The Times Dispatch
TO pursue. Ne recognize the State Cen
trial Committee as the highest tribunal
Of the party and we accept its decision as
final. That committee declares mat Mr.
Brauer is gultless that he is entitled to
the nomination and that he is the reug-
lar party nominee,
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THE LESSON OF THE HOUR