Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1905-01-05
THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 1905.
Mr.. wYSOR'S LETTER.

Mr.. wYSOR'S LETTER.
Just before the Christmas holidays came
10 Mr.. J. c. Wysor, late Democratic can
didate for Congress in this district, pub
lished communication in the Richmond
Times Dispatch. We publish that letter
in another column and ask its careful
perusal by our readers.
Mr.. Wysor deals very frankly and fairly
with the conditions that led to his defeat
by such a decided majority at the late
election. When he became the candidate
of his party for Congress, we confidently
predicted his defeat, asserting that no man
who helped TO frame the present State
Constitution could ever be elected to rep
resent this district in the National House
of Representatives He is disposed to at
tribute his defeat to three causes, the bet
ter organization Of the Republicans, the
payment of the poll taxes of more Repub-
lcans than Democrats, and the control OF
what he calls very large floating vote by
the Republicans.
The first two causes assigned by Mr..
Wysor are in large degree correct, bat
the last we are inclined to believe is a
mistake. There can he and is no very
large floating vote in this district. If
such an element does exist, then the new
suffrage law ia a failure, and the 'under-
standing clause and the poll tax pre-
requisite have not purged the electorate as
it was claimed they would do.
We are glad to note that MIR. Wysor
abandons one position he held so stub
bornly throughout the last campaign, that
was that the poll tax qualification for vot-
ing had not injured any worthy citizen.
His contention was that the men who had
lost their right to vote by failure to pay
their poll taxes were triAing and worth
less, and that they ought to lose their
votes. That he recedes from bis former
harsh views is shown by the declarations
he now makes. He says, "the poll taxes
of more Republicans than Democrats Nere
paid. The Republicans looked after the
matter diligently The Democrats neg
lected it." Then he Gays:
"The Democrats must he as diligent in
looking after the payment of their poll
taxes as the Republicans. The Demo-
cratic clerks, most of whom will stand for
reelection next fall, can be ofgreat aid to
the Democratic organization in looking
after this matter, but the whole work
should not be left to the clerks; they
should be assisted"
This means that Mr.. Wysor now thinks
it the duty of Democratic candidates,
their friends and the party organization
to hunt up and have qualified for the cleo.
ton of 1905 class of voters that be de-
clared in 1904 we're trifing and worthless.
We were surprised that he made such
declarations and re are now gratiied that
he entertains more conservative opinion
of the many. thousands Of honest men
who we're kept from voting last Fall by
the poll tax. -,
We are also grati6ed to see that Mr..
Wysor holds the view which we expressed
during the last campaign, to the effect that
it was no violation of the law for one man
to loan or give to another the money to
pay the poll tax of the one who receives
the loan or gift. He says:
"The constitution does not forbid man
lending or giving another the money With
which to pay bis poll taxes. A loan or
yift makes the money the absolute prop
erty of the recipient. and if be uses it in
paying his taxes, he personally pays
them"
Mr.. Wysor argues that the poll tax pre-
requisite and the "pure election law do
not prevent the corruption of purchas.
able voters. This is an acknowledgement
that his party has failed in what it made
the chief pretext for DISTINGUISHING so
many white voters in Virginia.
Mr.. Wysors advice to the Democratic
organization and future candidates of his
party to be more diligent in looking after
the payment of poll taxes is all right. But we
doubt if it will ever accomplish much for
them If carried out as diligently as he
suggests. The men who have lost their
right to vote in past elections by the i'm
position Of the poll tax disqualification
are lot likely to ever vote with the
party or for its candidates who put such
burden upon them.
ANOTHER YEAR HAS BEGUN.