The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-04-05

yrnrrsf,aY 3, 80. APRIL 8, 1915. i
g IONS 30 Prfmary Essction Plaza
- - rfos the Dsspasch J &. ~ 4
1rhe n,an of q primary election which has
,oe,, nre serl,ed for the consideration and
,donsion py the City Central Commt tsse OF
no Conservative party has been pn'olished.
d d understood that II is desired, ~ least by
,oana OF the members Of the comm' ttee, that
M ,,fau should undergo diseussif 10, so that
ne advantages aud its disadvant .ses may be
ooin.ed out. I propose, there fore, to ex'
press my views about II, askinf for them no
more confidence aud support from the pub
id than their truthfulre's and force entit'e
them TO.
list. admit that The pla of voting itself
will certainly be the means, Of setccUng those
gentlemen to be candidate 9 whom piurailty
81 voters desire, prou,de d that al the voters
fn the city shalt aiteuc, and cast their votes |
at the primary election.
Cd. i admit that to 9 restrictions and limi. |
.a,ions which are suggested for the purpose
ar nreSenting traua Ia 9te casting of totes |
are welt calculated 10 produce that
fff,e.. Now, If these submissions be
correct. and IL the condition sboFe
roted be faf6iled, 1t IS necessary
consequences that the .caRdidates selected
ED, be those who get a;plurality vote oil the
conservative voters Ia the city; tnat Is 10
say that, ta theory, such asFtimary planet eiee.
ZION certainly Will, Il adopted by the whole
narty. furnish the most popular nen-or at
least those who use themost effective means
to gain the most votes--to be our stanoaro-
hearers. How will 1.-THE IN Its practical work.
snp, Will all theeyoeers In the city attend
tend vote. or even will EsaJority OIL
(. thenn do sos It us beyond tie power OF
anybody to decide this question positively.
Tfcan ONLY be determined when the election
n held opiuios, therefore, alone. can De nsu
npon' 1t. Mine issbat only email minority
of Ali the voters will attend NOW, 10 ts,S
trues Eow eve 70 determine! ony ~
bringing to bear upon our sudgtnense at ~
Eac.s circumstances, ssa CONDITIONS "n,ou
aav sioh,o,,,s ,o come to a correct cepclsa-
a;nn 80 fsras we may beab!e. The advocates
Of tt,a Man argue Thus That the people
s.;,J snsfatn It because 1t is proposed oy the
b;oaly. est3msted gentlemen who form Tue
Sgfg Committee, and because It 10 falr 10
Itself. and will be fairly conducted. xne
sa,c,ion and infprsnakS.r Of the comm'Nee,
enIl the plain fairness of the plan itself, they
esav. will ,oni mend 1t to the appreciation ana
confidence of The whole people.
The opponents OF the plan argue that II
will notmeet with acceptance by large ma
iority of the Conservative voters-hrst' De-
cause the experience of the last i've gears,
f3uriop which time the primary plan
has been in operation IN tnls V'oy,
has shown that less than one rnuu
Of the Conservative voters have attend
I'D fhese elections. Second. Because that,
although In the management and carrying
ont of former primary elections as strong
barriers to prevent fraud were not 1sed as
are embraced in the present plan, get that
the plan itself does not strike at and ersdi
cate the great evil complained Of by the
yeters. which evil is that under any suoh
xaan. stockholders, by combinations, cleo
pioneering, and rings, can almost always
control the elections, and perRetuate
their own tenure Of office, even II
The Deopie should desire to remove
them: Third. That recently, in the
last primary election, such patent 1rauds were
perpetrated that It has engendered ia the
popular mind such distaste and aehofence
of any such plan, no matter what Safeguards
are thrown around it, and no matter VINO
manages its operations, that the people WIN
not accept 1t, nor can harmony 10 inc parry
be restored by it. It's most distastefui lea
oture-the chief vice which is wanted 10
be guarded against In electlons-ls not
nor cannot be reached or eraalcateo
by the plan proposed. Although fair voting
may be assured, yet the men who were ITO
originators and manipulators Of the frauds
which have been committed art Still ieit,
under the present plan, free to carry on
s4milar combinations and tricks to eject their
own favorites to their own advantage ana 70
the detrimept of other as good, II not better,
aspirants for office as themselves, ana 70 Inc
Injury of the city governmeps-the enect
being that fraudulent combinations VIII
still be made, electioueering will still
be practised, voters will be bought, ana the
men of the most money and the most sktitul,
wiry knowledge of how to dispense 1t, will
have ell the advantage over others at least as
honest and capable, but not possessing
money to dispense, or with too much prin.
ciple so 20 use 1t, and thus deprive the city OF
the services Of its best citizens to conduct its
government. Certainly 1t cannot be said that
Che primary plan, whatever good elements
there may be in it, has received the full endor,
sation Of the Conservative party in the city, as
amsjority Of the voters Of the party has never
:lyeted at such an election. These views, l
think, are correct. If they be, the plan pro-
posed cannot restore harmony In our ranks
and unite us. II that can be done at all it
must be by the adoption of some method
which will take power out Of the hands OF
the men who have been running the political
machine In this city for some time past. Ii
the Central Committee, who are composed OF
gentlemen 10 whom the public have conf.
dence, don't adopt some measure which Will
effect this object, they may rest assured that
the people themselves will do It, and do 1t
efectuaily, in the spring campaign.
.s1.....- -. R. DIV.
The author of the foregoing no doubt
voted last fall for candidates nominated by
very, small meeting held In Monticello
Hall Yet he objects that primary elections
have not been approved by "the people,"
HThe people" be speaks for are, we opine,
only those persons who, in bis own Ian.
guage, wish to devise some means of prevent.
Ing s'the ofnce-holders" from " perpetuating
their own tenure OF Office" In word, bis
party are "oat" and desire to get "in."
stThe people" who will approve his plan
of nomination are either Radicals or are
"outs" He and they will, we doubt not,
vote for self nominated candidates. They
care nothing for plans. Nine tenths of the
Conservatives whe refused to vote for JOHN.
rsoE last fall will support the regular nomi.
nees. Or. D.W.n will, we fear, approve no
plan which keeps the "outs" still out of
office.
49, - RESr YTks A NTS