The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-08-20
that the honest mnt, shnii be freed oven ,'t
iron, tho suggestion Of evil md wrons;

f that the honest mnt shnii be freed oven ven
from tho suggestion 81 evil and WRONG 60 W
tn doing. s !, Is. . ~. Il, Il, Il, y,
n fIc strong nrm OF citizenship, the badge
~ manhood. and IT. Is the duty Of tho
lawst 10 preserve It's strength and power.
5Sislmt sny 10 YOU again that tile laws ei,-
Noted ~ the Legislature for tho protcc-
Ion Of thu electors are applicable 70 pri-
4 mary as well ss general clecu 20, s.
lsE gslSts }E SO y VI i'll -
.tYou will observe tint the law is COM
rrehensiyc and Furnishes every species OF
fraud which @cnr DO rerpotrnt ed against
The election laws of the state. w hist
& these crimes arc only made smlsdcmennors
Il by The Legislature, l cannot too strongly
impress upon you the Importance OF tfis
Investigation, for this character of crime
strikes at tho very foundation Of the GOV
nrn,nent The republic iss founded upon
1.-THE will OF Tho people freely exprcsseu,
md no administration can properly nhd
efficiently discharge Its public duties
y which does not have It's origin In; the con-
fidcnce OF the voters, honestly ana larry
expressed.
q 0"The purity OF the ballot is the safety safety
+ of tho state.
Y 17..No government can endure which Is
based Oh a corrupt Suffrage and no man
# should be willing to hold any Office unless
a4 he stands ready to make good, an honest
Z title. .
II ( "1,h,s public demands that It's alections
shnll be fair; that It's election officers
shall he clean handed; that the candidate
who receives the most votes shall have
x the returns. ;
SA5 .,You will remember that YOU represent
no candidate, and are not trying a cons
tested election, but simply lnquring
whether or not any fraud l,hs boen COM
mitted. and,5 II SO, < by whom 81
n '.You are the Representatives. OF the law,
ana ms such will guard Its interest"
Unearthed More Fraud.
The jury made further investigation,
uncarthcd more fraud, returned several
additional bills Of Indictment aud made
IL general report stating that 1t was
confronted with evidence of irrcEulari-
ties In tho appointment of clectionf offs
p GERS, and further: geE (,
1--WE find that one OF the most important
provisions OF the primary plan was vlo-
lated by the secretary of the City Den,o-
cratic Committee. who was also the
printer and contractor for tho printing
OF the ballots In that he failed to tako
the oath as prescribed by section Of
said plan. .ia
I'VE fnc that the City Central Com
mittec is responsible for tho appointment
Of the primary election officers. and We
believe that in the selection of some OF
a these they were not sufilclntly cautious
We find that all Of the election officers
whom we have indicted texccp. Culhcr
SOM, have been appointed by and are
now holding office under the appointment
Of the electoral board for the general
election. and wo think that these election
officers should be removed at once
Not Far Enough.
That report was good MS far as It
went. but 1t did not 80 far enough to
# suit the public nor even all tho members
4. OF the jury. Three of that number, three
of the most prominent and honorable
citizens of this city, prepared and Of
fered to the consideration of the court
Il a supplemental report. which Judge Witt
in his wisdom did not see tit to receive
and he subsequently ruled that tho re-
port must not be disclosed to the public
do not know what the report contained
I have never seen 1t. But the honorable
and distinguished citizens who prepared
It have said that 1t contained matter
concerning election methods and prac--
ticcs In this city which 1t is important
for the voters OF Richmond to know.
do not ask Judge WittSto reconsider
1lE and give this particular report to tho
public. But do ask him.. and 1t seems
to me perfectly proper to ask him, to
55a call another grand july lHaL TINS llNes-
tigation' may be pushed to the utterinost
and every guilty person detected and
indicted.
THAT Is why we are assembled here to-
night; that Is why we petition that we
may know the full truth and knowing
may be able 10 protect ourselves.
How far do tho conditions which 1t dis
closes extend? Are the people but the
sport and plnythings of an organized
gang Of political pirates? Or are the
voters and taxpayers the final Judges
and controllers Of their clty's govern
lnent and destiny?
"Is 1t Farce?"
@ Is the ballot box the final refuge OF
the oppressed or dissatisfied citizens, OF
is 1t q contemplate farce, which Is
played ut stated intervals to quiet q
people who would II their eyes were
open, demand and enforce the rights Of
citizenship, the chief OF which Is thu
right to vote fairly, freely and effec
lively? I'm
1t Is such. Consideration as these
which bring US out Tonight,
have never seen the minority rctSort
know nothing OF It's contents, but Oh
presence of this nssembnge testifles t
the effect that 1t has produced.
The peoples belief in the value 9
popular elections has been grevousl
shaken, and that doubt must be removed
Skeptics who doubt first themselves m
then everyone else. and scoffers who, lik