Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1912-05-02
criticised the Virginia election laws and

sHo w khnAo ohcSe4Ou laws enu
election methods They said:
"After careful examination of the
record your committee does not find
such affirmative and positive evidence
of fraud or mistakes on the part OF the
election officers rs will overcome con-
testee's certified majority"
Then the committee made the follow
ing positive declarations, which were
concurred in by the entire committee,
save one partisan democrat.
Having arrived at the conclusion
that contestee should retain his seat in
the Fifty-seventh Congress, the COM
mittee does not wish to conclude this
report without expressing its dissp-
proval Of law which makes cheating
and corruption possible, even easy, and
invites and facilitates fraud at the
polls"
"a more thorough analysis of this
law would disclose more clearly its many
inequalities and its variety of opportu-
mites for schemes and corrupt prac-
tees. If the intention Of its trainers
were to invite fraud and conceal it, it is
successful accomplishment of that
purpose. If the electoral board and
election officers exercise as much parti-
sanship and unfairness in its execution
as did the general assembly in its enact
ment, the right of suffrage in Virginia
can be but little more than an empty
name. 1t matters not that the supreme
court Of that state have held it to be
constitutional, it can not be otherwise
than repugnant to all lovers of fair play
and honest elections. On its present
groundwork common fairness would
suggest several important and necessary
amendments. Not moro than two mem
bers of the electoral boards should be Of
the same party, and the others should
be appointed or elected on the recon-
mendation Of the opposing party's or
ganization.
Political boards which are required
by law to represent opposing parties
are too apt to be bipartisan only in the
DRY where the same party organization
controls all the appointments. There
should be at least two registrars, one
from each Of the two largest political
parties. One Of the three Judges of
election and one Of the clerks should be
appointed on the recommendation OF
the opposing organization. Instead of
maintsing the secrecy Of the ballot with
extreme and jealous care, opportunity
should be given by way of sample bal
lots and otherwise whereby the voters
may become thoroughly acquainted with
it before entering the booth. That
would be no violation of the secrecy of
the ballot in the proper meaning of that
word.
'1n short, an election law should pro-
vide ways and means whereby each duly
qualified elector may cast one vote,
and only one, without difficulty or en-
barrassment. 1t should provide for an
honest count and q correct return, to
the end that the declared result may be
accepted by all without question. Where
as, under the present law, neither the
contestee's certificate nor any other GER
tificate from Virginia can be free from
grave doubt and suspicion; this commit
tee earnestly hopes that the constitu-
tional convention and the general as
sembly of that old commonwealth, both
of which are now in session, will adopt
a constitution and an election code
which will insure such a fair and free
vote and such an open and honest count
that in the future no man will presume
to question the validity of the certifi-
cate"
This Is the most terrific Indictment of
the election laws and democratic meth
DDS in Virginia that has ever been writ
ten or uttered. The Virginia constitu-
tional convention, in session at the time
this report was filed, failed and refused
to adopt single suggestion made by
the elections committee. The conven-
ton 80 framed the suffrage and election
laws as to win for them the distinction
of being the most unfair and partisan
laws ever written in a constitution or
placed in a statute book. These laws
invite fraud and furnish ample means to
conceal it. They provide for a ballot
that is intended to confuse the voter
and to prevent him from casting his
vote without difficulty and embarrass-
ment." Section % of the constitution
prohibits the general assembly from
providing ballots with distinguishing
mark or symbol" which would enable
the ordinary voter to prepare his own
ballot without the aid of an election Of
ficer. The ballots provided are long
and complicated, and the law prohibits
the use of official sample ballots to edu-