The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-01-20
WEDNESDAY. JANUARY 20, 1904.
Fusion Intolerable.

i d not The purpose Of The Times
& n,snatcb 10 meddc with the local pol'tlcs
nf any county. or to mako fight FOR or
against any individual member OF any
party In any county. But the situation
Tin Norfolk county is not mere local
AFFAIR. It. is an affair in which the De.
nocracy Of the state is vitality concerned,
and the state Democracy must take
positive stand against Fusion IN that
county or lose character In the estln'a-
tion OF all fair Democrats throughout
ths state.
In our report of conditions in Norfolk
county. no have not attempted to tell
all that wc heard. We might have made
the report less conservative than We have
done and still have kept well within
the bounds of Justification. But we have
confined our exposure largely to the cS-
hibit that was taken directly from the
tax books and about which there can be
no shadow OF doubt
III Wa have shown first of all that the
Fusionists registered more than twice
"a many negroes as the Straightouts
)
registered and that in one OF the black
districts which had Straightout regis.
trars. something like one hundred negro
men were added to the assessment list
their assessments being raised from less
than 5000 to $3.50 and over, and that this
was done By a Fusion Republican office
holder who took this course 1t Is tair
TO infer, in order to compel the Straight
out registrar to put the negroes on
Z the voting list
Wo have shown that In spite OF tho
Fac. that tho State Central Commit
q tee Of the Democratic party recognized
the Straishout faction. and in spite OF
tho fact that the Stralghtouts called, and
held, as was their duty to do, Demo
cratic primary to nominate full Demo-
cratic ticket, the Fusionlsts. In dcfi-
nncc of the highest party authorities.
called and held Fusion primary and
nominated an independent ticket We
have shown that at the regular cleo
ton, although thereTewa Democratic
ticket in the field. the Fusionists, Demo-
lists. voted together for the independent
ticket and that this Independent ticket
contained the names Of three Republic
cans, which had been substituted for
three Democrats, who had been nonl-
mated In the Fusion primary, the Demo
cratic Fusionsts having abandoned three
/ Of their own nominees TO make room on
the ticket for these. three Republicans
one of whom was the commissioner OF
revenue for Washington District in which
We have shown that tho present mem
bers of the House OF Delegates from Nor
folk county were elected on this mise(
ticket, In opposition to the regular Dem
ocratic ticket, and elected, In part b!
the vote of negro Republicans some
whom, doubtless, were those who hat
been registered as property holders
whose assessments had been arbitrarll,
raised.
Thcre can be no doubt In the mind o
any man who has road our report tina
many negroes in Washington Dstrc
M made false and fraudulent returns to tn
commissioner of the revenue, and tina
q this was done TO eyade the constitutions
provision and to enable nom to registe
when they were not entitled to do 81
There can DO no sort of doubt In III
mind OF any man who has read our II
port from Norfolk that the asscssmei
Of some one hundred negroes In WASH
ington District We're thus arbitraril
raised for purpose, and that these ~
groes made false and fraudulent return
The present members Of the House
Delegates from Norfolk county profile
by this fraud. We do not charge that til;
did SO knowingly. but the fact Is as Y
have stated It. They defied the sta
Central Committee; they Joined han
~ with the Republicans; they receiv
fraudulent negro votes and, II now tn
be recognized BY the Democratic cauc,
the CAUCUS commits itself to the wht
outrageous and scandalous Fusion bu
ness, and becomes entanged in tho {
tire ugly mess,
More than that II the party commit
ety To Fusion IN Norfolk county, IT
put premium upon Fusion in ou
parts of the State. and will encours
party factions here and there TO j
hands with white and negro Republic;
and stimulate fraudulent registrations
opposition to regular Democratic no.
nees
But above all, by giving countena
To such methods as have been practi
and exposed In Norfolk county the pa
A VIII excite the disgust OF highmln
sS Democrats, not only in that section,
In all sections OF the State.