Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1903-10-15
For House Of Delegates,
J, POWELL ROYAL,
Of TaZ0Vell.
THE BARKSDALE LAW.

made great deal OF IuSS aDOut Tic POeol'
bilites of the so-caled pure elections law.
According to their expressed belief it was
going to accomplish political regeneration
for the Virginia Democracy. They all ad'
mitted that drastic measure would be
necessary to bring abou such a regenera'
ton, as fraud and corruption had been
practced so long by the party that it
had become completely degenerate. Mr..
Barksdale exploited his bill, and it WIS
carefully considered, amended and en-
acted 10y the General Assembly at its late
extra session. Its announced purpose
was to make the Virginia Democracy, like
Caesars wife, above suspicion.
Some weeks ago reports were being sent
abroad that Democrats were going tc
cheat each other at the primaries that
were then coming or. Mr.. j. Taylor FL
tyson, chairman of the Democratic party
in Virginia, was so disturbed by these le-
ports that he prepared and sent out cir
cular letter TO the candidates and party
managers, calling attention TO the Banks
dale law, and urging them "tO abide by
its provisions religiously." AT the time
We expressed our unbelief in the ability of
Mr.. Ellyson to prevent his own people
from cheating each other, upon the as
sumption that they had been so long de-
frauding Republicans that the habit had
become fixed, and was now second nature
with the Virginia Democracy. And we
also hal a strong conviction that the party
managers would not enforce the law when
it did not suit their purposes to do so.
It seems that our lack of faith in Mr..
Eryson power, and even his disposition,
to prevent Democrats from cheating each
other in elections was not unreasonable.
From every section of the State frauds at
the Democratic primaries have been re.
ported. These reports were published in
nearly all the Democratic daily newspa-
pers; but if there has been any honest ef-
fort to investigate, except in the county of
Henrico, we haye failed to note it. And if
there has been any disposition shown by
the Democratic organization or officers to
enforce the penalties prescribed in the co.
called pure elections law we have not
heard Of it. Upon the contrary there has
been a quiet but unmistakable effort TO
minimize the violations of the law and to
direct public attention from the ofenses
and the offenders.
The most notorious infraction of the
Barksdale Law occurred in Henrico county,
where the capital city Of the State is To-
Gated and where the State chairman of the
Democratic party resides. In Demo
cratic primary held in that county for the
purpose of selecting candidates for county
offices a man by the name of Brauer re-.
ceived the largest number Of votes as the
candidate for county treasurer. His right
to the certificate of nomination was con-
tested before the county committee upon
the ground that he had used both money
and whiskey to secure his nomination at
the primary. The county committee re-
fused to give Brauer the certificate, it hav-
ing been shown that he had used whiskey
and money in violation of the provisions
of the so.called pure elections law. Brauer
appealed his case to the State Democratic
committee, and that committee, with Mr..
j. Taylor Ellyson presiding over its DELHI
erations, reversed the Hennco county
committee and has issued a certificate to
Brauer. Thus has the State committee Of
the Democratic party given its sanction to
a violation Of what has been called pure
elections law, and which Its chairman has
recently by circular letter urged party
managers and candidates to "abide by
rebgiously"
Here We have another instance and in
dispu'sble evidence of the duplicity of the
Democratic organization. 1t also demon
strates the fact that the Democratic press,
with few honorable exceptions, is lack
ing in moral courage and sincerity, be-
cause it is upholdiDg the State committee
in its treatment of the Henrico case.
We remember that when the Walton
elections law was enacted it WIS pro-
claimed by the Democracy rs measure
that would purify elections in Virginia. 1t
had provisions that fixed severe penalties
for bribery and all kinds of frauds that
could be committed against suffrage. Yet,
with the knowledge and approval of the
State Democratic organization, acquiesced
in and defended by the Democrstic press
and sustained by the mass of thsYarty,
frauds upon the ballot became the RYE
- ~ ian the exception under the op:,