Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1903-01-16
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views 81 N Ex-Es.sresssasna.s o. g
ne PrsssposeA sReAistriefins.
10 The Editor Of the Dispatch:
"a third Of century or more ago there 'l'.
s1ay along tha middle eastern borde. =
southside virginia 8 tier ct eleven cssfn-s
Hes, embracing city, seven or eight
tow MS, and a number OF villages and peo-
pied by both whites and blacks but with
the blacks largely in the na1ority-nn1lo're
largely with q few exceptions, thattn g any
area In this or any other State. notWlth-
standing which fact or condition. II Is
urobabIy further true that no where else
on earth have these two or any other two
distinct races abided together with more
of peace and comfort than did the Anglo
saxon and the African. I'm the terrltofy
above defined. until their relations were
disturbed by the violent Interference oI
outside agencies. Such disturbance dh ~
come. however, just before the perfod
above referred to, in the form OF dreadfui
war which swept like a bosom OF destruc-
ton all over the country, out no"nels
left its traces more permanent ana severe
than in the counties and towns now IN,
der: Consideration.
When war with the bayonet ended. war
with the ballot began and it is the con-.
. current experience of all thoughtful men
sof that day and generation that Wn1ie
war with the bay onet was more destruc-
tive TO human life. 1t was far less de-.
structive to human happiness than the
ensuing war with the ballot.
& AT this critical juncture in our history
IT became necessary to district our state,
not only for national. but also TOT ota lse
ree1 re sentatfon When that work was
executed it was studiously planned so TO
group every county that IS now emorac-
ed in the Fourth District as to place II
hnpeIesslv and frretrievably, as Iar as
human foresight could see and arrange.
under negro Republican, rule. SUCH rule
is bad enough now-it was incomparaoly,
inexpressibly, insufferablv worse then
at that time the Second District (often
called the Norfolk District) embraced cer-
ia In eastern counties. which are now at
tached to the Fourth-often called the
Petersburg District. The cold. hard rea-
sons for this change was that the coun-
ties referred to were heavily freighted
with negroes. and, regardless OF the IN
terests of the splendid white residents
there. It was decreed that they should be
dismissed and take their places in what
then came TO be designated as this black
telt,
DEMOCRATIC REsTORATION
About this time under the providence
of the Great Being who fixes certain
bounds beyond which He will not allow
the eYil doer to trangress, the Democratic
ps,rty was restored to power In the great
ser part of the State-not so. however,
in this 'sblack belt" In order to be Sc
cure in other parts of the State. the
Democratic party ("our own familiar
friends'') adopted the tactics and pursued
the policy Of making our tthe Fourth
DistricD the dumping and camping
ground ga sop for Cerberus. sort OF
| ''parva Africana") for every political mis-
creant and mischief maker that infest-
ed the State. and 1t SO remained for a
number OF years so grievous that none
other but the bravest. best. and most
! patient people on earth could have en-
dured and survived it,
These events are passed in review for
the reason that they have direct bear
ing on the present. The Legislature is
row considering one OF these re-district-
ing bills and in truth. at the present
time. as in. the years gone by. we find
that whenever wave is set In motion.
its crest is examined. If 1t is found to be
laden with anything beneficial it is steer
ed to and landed in other parts OF the
State. but whatever hurtful 1t contains,
Fit can he counted on with a certainty
that it will be ioated around and nnally
landed and unloaded un the Fourth Dis
trict.
In the matter of this redistricting. It
may be observed in the FIRST place that
there is no necessity whatever for any
surgery. and all conservative men. with
whom the writer has had an opportunity
to confer, are agreed that unless and ex-
cept In so far as Enthusiastically necessary.
1t ought not to be pra cticed.
| The Legislature. considered the subject
last year and passed BILL which they
did not put into operation. The bill which
1t is reported to be considering this year
seems to be on totally different lines.
While Of them is Just and wise. either or
neither? It seems certain that there
rust be uncertainty about both. Not
only the acts themselves but the reasons
for their passage are given differently at
different times.
WHY CHANGE?
| a short time ago there seemed TO be
a consensus OF opinion that bill ought
to be construed and passed In the inter-
est OF the Ninth District. and email
vcice from single. county in that
mighty and Immaculate region. protesting
against disturbances and expressing dis
dain for preferred aid. seemed suddenly
to silence that matter and transferred
operations several hundred miles. from
Bristol to Big Stone Gap In the extreme
Southwest down to Norfolk and Newport
News in the extreme Southeast. Some
| irtinnation was given that two ship-yaras
down that way did not work together
like sisters and eught to own and oper-
ate political. plantations. and another In
TINA ton that there were brace or two
of Democrats down there who got uD
| nuarrels In the party sometimes and
that they ought to be assigned TO differ
ent domains. Then again the Dispatch.
which is held to be an erninentlv reliable
paper. renorteed few weeks ago that it
| was definitely determined that but few
If any. charges would: be made. and
that 1t was certa IN the Fourth and other
districts mentioned would not be disturb
| ed. And again In its issue OF the nth.
the same paper. which has evidently
| made vigorous effort to keep ,,p with