The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-10-16
WATSON IS WINNER
IN FINAL CONTEST
CONTINUED From First Page)

contestant to specify his charges OF
illegal voting.
Not Properly Guarded
On the recount. frankly said Mr..
Ruford, there were found -FOUR more
ballots which should have been counted
for Watson. But. he added. there
were twenty-io ballots not marked
according to law. Il thrown out. six
teen would be lost TO Watson and eight
to TursbuiL reducing the latter's ma
jority to four.
Inasmuch as the Byrd primary law
does not provide how ballots shall
be marked. the general election Law
should apply, said Mr.. Buford. That
provision OF the Byrd act which says
il shall be literally construed should
not, therefore. apply.
1t Is difficult. indeed. said Mr.. Blu
ford. to get protection for political
rights. asserting that if a pig. intead
Of an election. were at stake. he would
get a decision. He engaged in con-
siderable pleasantly with w c. Wtnn.
Of the district committee. asking MIN
to forget he is a politician and be
Judge while sitting on the Supreme
Court of the Virginia democracy. Mr.
VIM smiled. but when Mr. Buford
district committee, the latter arose
with dignity.
One very important contention, said
Mr.. Buford. had not been mentioned
by the committee report. This refers
to the result in Dinwiddie County.
where an independent. John Thrift.
was candidate for the House Of Del
egates last year against r. E Clarke.
the Democratic nominee. According
TO the plan adopted by the district
committee. to be eligible 60 vote In
this primary. q Dinwiddie citizen
should have voted for Clarke. Yet at
one precinct Watson got twenty five
votes. all that were cast. while at
the same place Clarke only had six.
while twenty-one voted in 1911. There
fore. fifteen of the Watson votes must
have ;,een independents last year.
Then some citizens voted whose poll
taxes were not properly paid.
Negroes otherwise qualified had a
risbt to vote said Mr.. Buford. II
tn" party had a right to add to ;he law
., as to exclude the black man. Il
would also have the right to exclude
redhaired white men The negro. he
argued. can do no political harm. and
IL Is not good policy to exclude him.
Concluding. Mr.. Bu:ord said he con-
fesscd to 2 certain degree o. p,Iiticai
in!s psndsnce. placing the good OF the
State highest He looked with appre-
Ecna:on On ;h. Subscrvience Of funda-
rncn;aIs to mere partisan influences.
a: the end Of one hour Mr. Buford
rested
Ryrd Sperks Tor Wsssos.
surcnt scr tn. cpnt.s.ec. Judge Wat
soa. Always. he said. there, have been
Irregularities In elections. and always
there viii se. Never has there been
an election where tn. Law was enforced
3, TIRE sam" manner az all precincts.
especially so when a ncw statute is ia
,rccr Tor the iirsi time.
Considering az. Interest IN the re-
cen; primary. said Ir. Byrd. 8; IL a
matter Of conzrstaia,.ou that nowhere
H. there THE slightest evidence Of fraud
nothing more than mistakes. Mr.
Bg.ord. purIged Mr.. BYTE. had insisted
on technical application % the gen
srsi election Law Co che primary act
whereas tho Byrd bill itself says that
tire s9pi!e alton shall not be technical
80 as to defeat Tire will 81 tie voters.
As 20 tsc recount. IT.. Byrd I'D not
csrc how 20 went since giving NJ.
Tg--ruiI 40 .c claimed on this score.
Judx- Watson would SIN have twenty
majority. " wcrsd s~ q great mistake.
ne arescd. 70 allow the n~erc~s ca get
political power. The late unIsncnscd
CONSTITUTIONAL Convention he'd tried 90
eliminate the black man 80 . poStsscal
equatios. Yet many % them are get
ting back o. the rsGissfatson OsoGo-