The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-08-03
PEOPLE
Firm FOR RIGHTS

lHm lUu lHuHIO
Demand Privilege Of Voting For Men
OF Their Choice as Democratic
County Committeeman.
Victoria. Va. Aug. "a mass
meeting Of the qualified voters Of Vic
torfa Precinct, Plymouth District,
Lunenburg County, Va, was held in
Mayos Hall on Friday night, July 80,
1915, with about $50 citizens present
The meeting was called to order by
j. r. Hawthorne, after which d. E.
Hostrander was elected chairman and
III. T. Faison secretary. The secre-
tary then read the following object
Of the meeting:
The object of this meeting of the
Democratic voters of Victoria and Ply
mouth district is to demand Of the
county chairman, DIR. e. L. Kendig,
and the judges of election of Victoria
Precinct the privilege and their right
to cast their ballot for candidates for
the county Democratic committee, Sc
lected by the voters of Victoria to
represent them on the county Demo-
cratic committee Of Lunenburg Coun-
ty In the Democratic primary election
On <uS uSt o. 11ADe NY 6Lt6ChAAi& "a Ah%~
ed slips to the ballot with the name
OF the candidates printed thereon.
Resolutions Drafted.
The chairman then appointed a
committee of five to draft a set OF
resolutions to present to this meeting.
The committee reported as follows:
Whereas. the county chairman OF
the Democratic party of Lunenburg
has enforced an ironclad rule adopted
by the county committee under his
supervision and with his approval,
which deprives,the voters of the coun-
ty of their right to select and elect
their representative on the county
committee; and,
Whereas. this ruling of the chair
man and committee deprives the
voters of the county of their rights
of suffrage and selection of their ON
GERS as guaranteed to them under the
Constitution and laws of the State or
Virginia, and Is a fragrant usurpation
of authority which enables him to de-
clare himself and others elected to
office In defiance of the peoples wishes
and by suppressing their votes; and.
Whereas, the bedrock of Democratic
principles is equal rights for all and
special privileges for none" to be
guarded by an unrestricted ballot;
therefore, be II
Resolved by the Democrats of Ply
mouth district. That we earnestly con-
denim and protest against enforcement
of this ironciad rule, which has never
been published or posted In time to
inform the voters of its unnecessary
as to time. witnesses. etc,
which forbids the people Of the coun-
ty from selecting their own officers.
and enables the chairman and the
a.
selves in ONCE.
Resolved, further, That we favor
and demand the right to select our
for committeeman and to
elect them by ballot at the polls. and
that notice of candidacy shall not be
longer than ten days before election.
or in time to have their names printed
on the ballots for each district or. In
case Of failure to print, their names
can be written at the foot OF eacn
ballot in spaces left for this purpose.
An UnwaFranted Usurpatfon.
Resolved. further, That the refusal
Of the county chairman and commit
tee to permit the names of our towns
men, A. A. Kirkman and r. E. Sta
bles, selected by us az candidates Tor
the county COMMITTEES, to be voted Tor
As such by u.s. was an unwarranted
usurpation ana unjust to them and
the voters OF Victoria
Resolved, further, That we win not
support any candidate for ONCE In the
county or State who favor the en-
forcement Of any rule TO suppress the
suffrage Of the people now guaranteed
them by the laws of Virginia.
Resolved. further. THAT II refused
the privilege OF attaching the names
~ our candidates to the official bal
lot. we will prepare ballots and q bal
lot box and request our people 20
hold a separate election and elect tneir
by ballot and appear 70
our fellow Democrats OF the county
TO sustain our action
DR.. Kcndig Asked to Explain.
DR.. Kendig was given an hour IN
which to explain his position as chair
man Of the county committee IN re-
fusing to place the names OF A. A.
Rirkman and r. e. Stables on the
list OF candidates after they had Med
a notice of candidacy with ham sixty
DAYS prior to August 8. and the same
was properly witnessed by two voters
OF this precinct. Mr.. r. E. Stables. In
a short talk, stated that he had been
requested to run for the Democratic
by a. vnnmhar, Of friends
and had fled his notice OF candidacy
with the chairman. who IN a rev
minutes Thereafter came 10 nlS place
OF business and wanted to know how
he stood. stating that he already had
six men running and did not desire
a contest" Mr.. H. E. Lee, OF Motto
way County, who represented A.. A.
Kirkman and r. Z. Stables before
the county committee. was also pres
emit, and made stirring address on
the principles Of Democracy, and cali
ang upon the chairman to act fairly
and Justly towards two OF victoria's
best citizens and loyal Democrats. MT.
George e. Smith. OF Victoria. made
. short address along the lines OF
what Democracy stands for.
Agrees to Undo Act II Possible
On motion, the resolutions offered
by the committed, after having been
read, were unanimously adopted.
County Chairman 3. l. Kendig again
appeared before the meeting. and
stated that he would see the members
Of the electoral board and try to have
the tickets reprinted, so as to have
the names Of A. A. Kirkman and r.
3. Stables appearing thereon. and
agreed to 60 before the county COM
mittee and ask that they should be
seated on that committee II elected
by the people Of Victoria Precinct ~
And the secretary was instructed
to have the proceedings OF this meet
=. sNxvrHA.hMA tu thA Yaayr ~ htyre Call