The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-09-02

The Times Dispatch Is assailed in tho
house of It's friends. One Of the ablest.
cleanest, and most deservedly respectable,
newspapers In Virginia charges US with
large measure Of responsibility IN con-
nection with the primary election FRAUDS
y recently unearthed in Richmond. The
Lynchburg News says:
This paper has great respect for the
Richmond Times-Dlspatch; but IL ven
lures TO take the liberty of friend ana
accuse that journal with Il large measure
Of responsibility for the rascality ana
fraud at the recent Richmond primary!
An honest plan Of primary was provided
nv the party authorities in the first place,
under which every voter was required
To walk IN in the open like Hlrginians
were 5ac customed TO do for eighty years,
= ana register his vote by word of mouth.
nut The Times Dispatch led Il crusade
. against the viva yoce sysAm, and now
y complains that the chronic election
thieves lii Richmond are at their old
tricks again. No man who feels that
he is properly entitled to the ballot ought
to be afraid to exercise that right openly,
particularly when by so doing he Is
safeguarding elections against fraud.
!. Moreover the News does not believe the
rank and file of Virginia Democrats OBJ
jected to the viva vocc plan. = nc senti-
ment In favor of the change, to which
the politicians cheerfully surrendered,
vas not natural or wholesome but manu-
featured. In this congressional district,
where the plan was given a conspcuously
fair trial fifteen Thousand Democrats
openly participated in tho primary, and
there was no complaint. What more could
be desircd?"
!, citizen ashamed to express his political
principles. sThe voter who is ashamed
of his views," and ashamed to let the
world know for whom he cast his ballot
is not the kind OF man we like to have
around. He falls very far short ,of the
ideal of independent American citizen
ship. He is not worth the contempt en-
, pressed in kick.
Our contemporary Is entirely mistaken
In surprising we want a secret ballot for
The purpose OF enabling such a voter to
keep secret the manner In which he
voted We have opposed the viva voce
method for the reason that improper
Influence may so easily BIO oxertcd in
elections where the voting Is not secret.
Great corporations could absolutely pre-
vent their employees expressing their real
sentiments at the polls. Suppose two or
three of the great railway systems OF
Virginia should unite to elect n certain
candidate to the govcrnorship. Were we
under the viva voce system. the corpora
lions could absolutely enforce on order
that their employees vote for the man the
railroads had named,
Oh course, it Is asserted IN reply TO this
that man working for corporation
should have too much independence tc
allow his way of voting TO be dictated
nv his employer. Ii Is useless to dwell
upon this Independence Is a fine Ting
Indicating, as it does that type Of man
hood which most strongly appeals to on
imagnatons.
But who would judge harshly the en-
ploye, working for two dollars a day I
keep bread in the mouths OF his wife. an
little ones, who would be coerced int
voting for The company's candidate !
order to save his job, and bis faml
from suffering?
The trend is towards the secret bale
In all countries. We believe. Tf
strongest advocates of the principle hay
been those most desnious Of maintainin
the purity OF the ballot II Is an eas!s
thing to pick out a few honest men |
conduct an election than 70 prevent
greater number possessing enormous n
suenca. from welding II to keep u
voter from expressing his honest sent
ments.
We are sorry The advocates of the seer
ballot can find so little sentiment In Il
arguments supporting their contentlo
Tho sentiment is all on The other sid
Those arguments which make " perfect
plain that The ballot must be secret