The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-05-03
DISREGARD PAssroN-REGlsTER.

DISREGARD PASSION-REGISTER-
IN one of those able and impassioned editorial
articles. local morning contemporary calls
on the OF the State and city to prepare them
selves 10 vote by paving their poll taxes This
The virGinian endorses heartily. Some of the
details of the appeal, however seem TO require
adverse or interrogative attention. For instance.
voters are asked:
DO you desire that political conditions IN Wiz
ginia shall he remeded that every candidate
for office shall have equal opportunity with
every other candidate?
1t would be interesting to know precisely what
this means and the details by which the suggest
cd result is to be accomplished. Suppose. for
instance. candidate for office TO have the en-
thusiastic support OF the Times Dispatch. BY
what methods, legal or otherwise, could the un.
fortunate victim of those fatal embraces be de-
Ivered from his afiiction and relieved Of the
handicap How could he be given equal oppor-
tunity with the fortunate rival who had secured
that priceless political prize, the hostility of
our contemporary? Or, considering another
instance. how could candidate and UNI
known be given precisely the same opportunity
with a candidate who has behind him a record
Of activity. of good service and wide popularity
among the people?
Another pulling paragraph is this:
DO you believe that the object OF the gov
eminent OF Virginia should be the welfare OF
the people. and not the perpetuaton OF invisible
government
Where is this invisible government of which
We have heard good deal? Who is 1t and where
is it and how does it work? Where is evidence
OF its existence? So late as yesterday afternoon
Governor Mann and Mayor Ainslie dis.
tinctly visible. as were the other State and city
officials, all of whom seemed to be in their
places as usual. The general assembly during
Its sessions is visible to the naked eye and any
body can go and sit comfortably In the gallery
OF either branch, sec the body work. hear and
behold its wheels go round In some parts of the
South there was what was known the Invisible
Empire" but it was the Ku klux Khan. and has
disappeared. We trust our contemporary neigh
Dor will tell us of the government to which
1t aludes with such mysterious passion and
also about this:
Do your part by qualifying yourself to xote
at this next election for men of progressive pur-
poses pledged to progressive legislation. If you
your vote If YOU do not qualify for voting
before May srd. you cannot do your part in
securing wiser, greater and nobler Virginia
If you do not qualify you lend aid and comfort
TO the enemies OF government by the people,
for the forces Of invisible government do not
want you to he qualified and relying on
your indifference and inacton.
Your ballot is the bullet you fire at the cor
rupt. controlled and inefficient candidates of
misgovernment If you have vote. you are
the man with the unloaded gun, Load your
gun by paying your poll tax. Do il today. The
faan who desires better and wiser conditions
nut who will not help get them at the polls
= traitor TO his country and his God.
People in Richmond and Virginia are entitled
to know about the several things here alluded
to. to be informed by those who have the infor-
nation. Most of them will be inclined to regret
that we cannot have here sober, quiet orging
u citizens to qualify themselves to vote without
infamed outburst, exciations of factional feel
ing and the tearing OF passion to tatters They
Gre unconscious Of all the evils and dangers de-
scribed so wildly. Therefore, in their behalf
We desire and call for particulars specifications.
names and persons. 1t is not quite fair to vir.
ginia or to Richmond to attempt to give the gem
eral public the belief that we have here opnosi.
ZION 10 any 6enned and sensible progressive"
purpose. The progressive" plan so far is as
much a mystery the invisible government"
as nebulous. vague, shadowy and underlined So
too. are the corrupt, controlled and inefficient
candidates OF misgoyernment" Let us have the
names Of some Of them that we may assist in
shifting them Let US be done with mysteries
and hints and spectres conjured from awful
regions by fervid imaginatons II any of these a
things be real, let us know Of them exactly
In the meantime THE Vir9inian urges the I'M 7
qualified of Richmond to qualify Today is the 6
last day. Forget all about invisible govern. I
ments' and corrupt and inefficient candidates I" e
II there be any such thing as the former il can s
be brought to light later If there be aav Of tho
latter they can be discovered before election a
day rolls around What the nonvoters of Rich.
mond wish to remember today is that thew
are nonvoters and that they have but few
hours In which to become citizens ~
frIra but Is