Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1912-05-23
THURSDAY. MAY %. 1912.
JUDGMENT CONFESSED.

Something over a month ago brief
special notice was sent out by wire to
certain democratic newspapers that Mr..
Ayers, The democratic nominee for Con-
gress in this district. had made propo-
sirion to Hon. c. B. Slemp that no
money be expended in the election this
year in the Ninth BY whose authority
the telegram was sent, the public hss
never learned. Many now suspect it
emanated from the sweet-scented Jim
stone, who seems 20 have been put in
charge of things in the Ninth by the
democratic powers that be. Whether
Mr. Ayers ever communicated with Mr..
Siemp about the matter we do not
know. Mr. Slemp, however, made
known that he vas opposed to the use
Of money il elections, except for legiti-
mate purposes, but coupled with this
p declaration thst ne did not wish to
rave any understanding at all looking
TO fair elections in the district unless it
could he made complete in all its de-
tails. He asserted very properly that
elections could not and would not be
AIR unless the republicans were allowed
90 choose their own election officers-to
have one Of the clerks Of election. and
nave representation on electoral boards.
The Lynchburg News and the Roam
o'1e Times Immediately began to try to
twist lir. Slemp's suggestion into a II
aicGloCs p-oposi ion, and undertook to
show, hy implication, that he was re-
using TO egree &c ar honest and clean
lection; AID -hat it was the intention
OF tie rep 0iicens to try to win the dis
rrict ~ purchase. The News and
Times asserted with all positiveness
bat elections in the Ninth district had
been uniformly fair and clean since
1894; and that Mr.. Slemp's suggestions
we're a reelection upon the democratic
electoral boards and election officers of
tae district.
ThereupQn, the Tazswell Republican
proposed to these democratic newspa-
pers rhat i- could and would give them
numerous specific instances of fraud
committed by electoral boards and by
democratic election officers in the Ninth
district, uGdc- 10Th the old AID the new
constitution. Our democratic coatem-
poreries, however, did not accept our
proposal, and 2e did the thing anyhow.
This hes been done il a series Of ar
cicles-chaptecs one, two and three-un-
der the heading: Elections in the
Ninth" In these three articles we
spread before the public irrefutable
facts, Showing the vilest of the frauds
committed at the Congressional cleo
tons in 1893, 1900, and 1902. We named
the places where these frauds occurred.
We gave the names of the men who had
committed them. We charged that these
zen were SSH kept in the councils Of
the party, and were receiving positions
Of honor and profit through appointment
~ the Governor of Virginia. The proof
We offered was record proof that could
not be denied We filed our declaration
and alorg with It full bill of particu-
isrs. The assertive democratic news
papers have had ample time to respond
TO our declaration and dispute our bill
Of particulars. They have not plead or
oemurred TO our declaration, or even
had the courage to enter an appear
ance. Therefore, We shall enter I'D
against them q confession of judgment.
Ia sae future # these same papers
claim that elections have been uniform
L. fair in the Ninth, We shall show that
such claims are knowingly false, be-
cause of their inability TO dispute one
single particular fraud of the many we
have brought to their notice. And we
shall again remind them that they
ought not to claim honesty OF purpose
for their party in this district, unless
they drive from their councils and cease
to reward the political crooks who are
now so prominent il the district.
How easy It is TO believe that the AL
MIGHTY IL on our side when tbinos ara