Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-09-06

register is determined by Il partisan
registrar. and the right to vote. which
Is tho basis OF all free governments
Is not controlled by definite law. but
BY the whims and caprice OF ono man.
which is the worse form Of tyranny.
and an invitation to fraud
II the applicant succeeds in passing
tho registrar. he is not yet a voter.
with certain limited exceptions. every
person Is required to pay poll tax
OF $i.5o year for three years six.
months before the election. This Is
ot TAX. hut penalty imposed by
constitution upon every citizen
VINO desires to exercise his right to
vote In this State. for II the citizcn
,does not vote no Is not bound to nav
ms tax, and by constitutional pro
VISION no process can issue to col
iect IL until IL is three years mast dino
In the Argentine Republic which
we regard as half-civilizud. they i'm
pose fine on every citizen who does
not vote: in enlightened vIrglnta ,
political organization has imposed n
line on every citizen who does vote.
and this was done. not by the people
but by the mandate Of a men, in
violation of II solemn pledge. This 1,
free government in Virginia.!
Thirty days before the election n
list is required to be made OF all per
sons who have thus qualified by reg
istration and payment OF poll taxes
TO "ot" mt such election. and this list
liz required to TO posted. If the citi-
zen Is not diligent and does no, take
the trouble to examine this list. hr
may hnd on election day that tho
office holder VINO made the list has.
inadvertently or otherwise, omitted
his name: and then there Is no rem
cdy and his right to vote liz lost.
II the voter ever DOES work his
way through this maze OF obstacles.
he is then confronted by a ballot
which may have n hundred names on
II. which Is not allowed by law to
d" published or secn before IL is hand
cd to the vote 1T the booth. II the
voter is stin sane and tries 10 vote
he Is not allowed as in other states
TO indicate by one mark the ticket OF
his preference. but must mntk out
every name for which he does not de-
sfre to vote. AS result. thousands
or ballots Of the most intelligent
citizens Of Virginia are thrown out
In every election. The pcopl. Grumhle
and protcs, then 20 back next time
and vote the Democratic ticket. Thus
every step In the exercise of citizen
ship in made az difficult as possible.
ponalizcd by actual monetary fine,
and every opportunity given 10 par
tisan Office holdcrs To defeat the
right. /, liz not surnrisinr that 200
600 people east only $1,000 votes for
Governor in 1917. II is surprising
that any but Office holders voted at
all.
In the event that the registrar or
judges Of election are charged with
fraud or corruption, they ar. tried
before the Same Circuit Judge who ap-
points the electoral board. which APP
points them. and by Il jury selected
by an officer OF that court. Did arg
one ever hear OF the conviction OF an
election officer In Virginia?
In the event Of contested elections
for the office OF Governor and certain
other high State officers. the contest
IL tried by the General Assembly, IL
for certain other State officers by
three OF these same Circuit Judges;
but II II he for county, city or dis
trict Office. - IL tried by the same
judge who appoints the electoral
boards which appoint the election OF
iic.rs. and from the decision Of that
judge the law expressly provides that
there shall be no appeal
political system In the civilized world
which IL so completely adapted to the
repression Of free government and
the announcement al fraud. as that
provided by the Constitution and laws
of this state. In the hand OF this PARTY
machine. And We call oursclNcs = free
people in Virginia and send our sons
TO fight for freedom In Europe!
What has been the effect OF this
In no a
cratic machine, upon the exercise OF
citizenship in Virginia: upon mat
free expression of the viii OF IN" pco-
plc. which Jefferson declared II 10 b"
the first duty of any government TO
protect?
In 1855. at tho beginning OF this
Democratic control. with 4 population
of coo. 900. Virginia cast over 300.0oo
votes In tho presidential elcc'ion. In
1916. with II population of 23G",ooo'
/, east ISL 900 votes. In 1871. the
State cas-, only $4,000 votes for GOV
crnor: while In 1920. in prcsid"n-
tial contest involving issues OF vital
Importance to the people OF IN" whoic
country with the women voting. ana
q nossiblc qualified vote OF about
9Oa. 600, the total vote In this State
was only 10000. or Approximately
ON. in ten In the same year tie ah-
inininl state Of kentucky. win n
population OF 100000. cast e"S,'77
votes. or 37.Gt Of the cntirc poru-
lation. and the adjoining State OF
North Carolina, with 2.5o0'ooo popu
lation, cast 52s.29+ votes. or 2lFo OF
the entire popula'ion.
With over $1,000 persons connected
with or employed by tho state ana
local governments OF this Common
wealth, and only $4,000 votes cast Tor
Governor in tie last election. II needs
no argument to show who controfs
this state. or to demonstrate the
mower of the office holding group
over its political and economic ire
Just Az IL opposed suffrage for w"-
men or any other participation or IN"
peopie In their government. so the
Democratic organization opposes any
change in these provisions OF our
Constitution and laws or in the sys-
tenn resulting thcrefrom. by adro't
use 1t has succeeded in disfranchisinE
two-t thirds Of the white people OF TINS
State. and reduced the vote to one IN
ten Of the population. This greatly
simplifies the problem OF the control
of tho State by taking tho voting
power from the people who pay the
taxes and placing 1t in the hands OF Il
body. Of Office holders who receive the
revenues and maintain the machine.