Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1903-06-25
THURSDAY, JUNE %, 1908.
WHAT is RESPECTABlLITY9

Republican party respectable and strong
in Virginia is commendable, but the
Colonel has undertaken tremendousjob "
If the Dispatch meant this for a
piece of humor it is rather obscure and
pointless. If is intended as a sneer at
the men who constitute the Republican
party in Virginia, it is in bad taste, and
is an assumption of superiority for its own
party that is not warranted by the record
of the Virginia Democracy.
By common Interpretation, when man
or party is spoken of as respectable,
it means that he or it possesses an honest,
decorous record, one that has been so
clean as to merit the esteem of honorable
men. No man is respectable whose record
is stained with personal dishonesty. No
party is truly respectable whose history is
blackened with crime and tainted with
corruption. 1t may be restored to a con-
dition ofrespectability by purging itself Of
the men who are corrupt and by an honest
remuneration gifts vicious methods. There
may be honest men in the ranks of a
political party, but when it is dominated
by corruptonists and holds power by the
use of methods that are reprehensible, that
party takes its character from the impure
men an debased practices that control it,
and not from the association of honorable
men who are deluded privates in tie
ranks. Tried by these tests the Virginia
Democracy may be strong, but i: is not a
respectable party. For the past twenty
years it has been controlled by thoroughly
corrupt machine that has combined and
rewarded the men who have made the
ballot-box a plaything and the polling
stations dens of vice.
Twenty years ago the Democratic or
ganization gained control of the State by
as cruel outrage as has been known to
civilization, the Danville massacre. From
the confessions of its party organs and
leaders, We are justifel in asserting that
it has continued lis control by the use of
election laws and methods that were dis.
grazing the State and running the moral
tone Of the people.
The Democratic Legislature of 1883
with malice prepense, turned out from
both branches of the General Assembly a
sufficient number of duly elected Readjus.
ter members to secure two-third's major
ity and thereby prevent the then Cover.
nor of Virginia from defeating, by the ex-
ercise of his veto power, the vicious legisla
ton that was afterwards enacted and
which has been the source of the countless
crimes that have been committed upon
suffrage by Democratic elections officers.
The Anderson Mccormick elections law
was the FIRST step taken. At the time it
was considered sufficient in suggestions
and possibilities for frauds. But In the
national election of 1888 the Republicans
came so near to carrying Virginia, and |
afterwards showed such strength, that the
Democratic machine became alarmed; and |
stre1gthed its hold by the passage of the
Walton law. That elections law was the
most complete instrument of fraud that
human ingenuity could devise. 1t be.
came so notorious that when the Goebel-
ties in Kentucky wanted to keep control of
that State they took the Walton law as a
pattern for their infamous measure.
The Democratic machine in Virginia did
not fail to fully untilze the possibilities of
the Anderson. Mccormick law and the
Walton law. Ballot-box stufing, mis-
counting of ballots, padding registration
books, classifying returns, and printing in
puzzles and stamping them
With official seals as ballots were among
he many crimes committed under the {
egis of these partisan elections laws.
The Times Dispatch will remember that l
III elections officer at Smither's precinct,
n Henrco county, stuffed the ballct.box [
It certain election. He was tried in a '
Democratic court, convicted OF the charge, t
nd was sentenced to the enormous il
enlistment Of ten minutes in Jail and the d
'ayment of fine of $40, perhaps. His v
dmiring friends honore1 him with a
hampagne supper; and he was after u
Tard rewarded, as martyr, by being ap.
ointed to an Office in the State Senate, to "
Tbich be was successfully appointed. tt
Then, The Times Dispatch will recall a
be notorious "Scott County Ballot" r,
hich our contemporary denounced SO IL
,undly after it had been exposed in the al
olumns of the Republican" The re.
uted author of that ballot was appointed in
unity Superintendent of Schools by W
emocratic Board of Education after his al
injection with the ballot had been "
fought to its notice by citizens of Scott vi
unity. He is now chairman of the SO
emocratic District Committee and hs
ember Of the State Democratic Com. lii