Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-07-22
TALK OF A PRIMARY,
THE MODE OF eLeCTiN6 CONGRESS
SlONAL DELEGATES BEING
FREELY DISCUSSED.
roiitiosl Leaders Differ. but the Primar,
NAN il Generally Preferred BE-
cause Of Its Fairness


cratic candidate for Congress from this dis
tric, will be considered at the meeting OF
the City Committee tonight.
The committee will meet in the CITY CIR
cuit-Couyt room at $50 o'clock, and the
session will doubtless he oneof unusual in
terest. The attendance promises 10 be
large.
This is the one theme which above oil
others will engage the attention OF the
committeeman. As stated IN sunday s
DispainA, the sub-Commlttee on Ilans, 10
whom this matter was referred at the last
meeting, will present report IA iaNor OF ol
urec.nct meetings 70 be held under plan
the general provisions Of which have been
anticipated. There viii also be a minority
report giving reasons why, in the judgment
oi those signing that paper. the delegates
should he chosen IN primary 10 be hsla
under similar conditions all over the dis-
trict.
A CHANGE or SENTIMENT.
when tho subject was broached nj the
meeting Of the general committee Week
ago there was an informal inteTchange oi
views. and the sentiment so iar ~ oAp'eSs.
cd Was largely IN favor on the pIeclhct
meetings. Since then there has been u
vcrv goueral discussion Of the subject, ana
Tho D-lruqrv idea which had then been but
little talked OF. seems TO have grown IN IL
vor. II Is thought hat seVerai VINO Week
rro expressed themselves taV0raoIy 70
ward the notwithstanding plan VIII, II
v,fe ls taken tonight. put themselves on
record as supporters Of the primary.
should the fact be developed tonight
tbat the majority are in favor OF primary
ii Is probable that final action VIII pe
postponed for awhile 10 enable me Dls-
irct Committee 10 assemble ana declue
whether II will recommend % the county
n.d city organizations TO adopt TINS me
th.d. .......oo
This being subject OF much Importance
and ono In which q great deal OF interest IS
faf representatives. Of She DlYd'ct sought
.,r-ass,ous Yesterday from leading mem
b.r- of the party so as 10 show the sen'l-
r..nt of the community. The result is
gwen below
HON. WILLIAM LoyKNsrRlN.
-o,,tor William Lovcnstein said: 1T is
,p.r..terIal with me whether the election
,S Iv primary or ward meetings. l gene
r,Vv prefer conventions TO primaries but
think probably tins time II VIII DC oet'el .''.l
a. have "A primary This, | THINK, Will prove
,o rroper WAY 10 elect delegates. In TINS
instance If there is not a primary l prefer
precinct 90 ward meetings
SENATOR sANDs.
Senator Conway r.. Sands believed the
,,riuarv yould GIVE the best satisfaction;
and n This plan was made uniform Tor the
whole district he would favor IT. lie
thought. however, IL the primary plan was
adouied the District Committee should
meet and change the date for the conven-
ton, making 10 some time IN September
mR. WILLIAM RYAN.
ir William RYAN. a member Of the Dis
trict Committee and ex-chairman OF the
CITY Committee, was heartily III favor OF
tbe primarv. When asked If the District
Couiwifree could not meet and order
uniform svstem he said he had never heard
of their recommending any plan. They
eimplv lame the date and fix the repre-
eentation. He thought il would be good
idea for repr, sentatlyes of the committees
nm each city and county to meet together
immediately and agree upon uniform
plan Tor the district.
MR. S. L. BLOoNBERG.
Mr. Bloomberg. who is an ex.member OF
the CITY Committee, thought the primary
decidedly the best plan and the only one
that could be adopted that would give
general satisfaction,
Mr.. ?. II. FISHER.
lam for a primary first. last, and all the
time" remarked Mr. L. Ii. Fisher. " 1t Is
the only plan were there can be anything
like a fair expression of opinion and we
should try and adopt a system that VIII
allow each Democrat 90 vote for his choice,
and the result will be there will be greater
satisfaction
Mr.. r. T. GBYMrs.
IL think the primary the proper thing, ="
said Mr. T. Buford Grymes. the active and
energetic secretary of the Powhatan Club.
MI. b. T. AUGUST.
This gentleman. who is the popular City
Clerk. uuhesitatingly gave II AZ his opinion
thai the primary was the talrest and best
means by which there may be free and
uuirammellcd expression Of opinion by
Democratic voters with regard o. their
choice of candidate for Congress. He
VAS heartily in favor Of this, aud hoped for
the good Of the party 1t would be adopted.
CAPTAIN =. L. sPEScE.
SAID this gentleman II he never before
had favored primary elections he would be
for one IN this instance. He was very out
spokon IN his views and cited cases where
free expression Of opinion could not be
had at ward and precinct meetings. The
Democrats he thought, would make Sc
rious mistake not 10 adopt the primary
system in nominating their candidate Next
fall.
Nh J. TAYLOR sTBATTON.
Without saying what plan is best. !
think uniform system should be had for
tur whole district" said Councilman j.
Taylor Stratton. His idea was that If the
counties have mass-meetlngS the cities
should have ward-mectings, or # the pri-
mary is adopted III one place 1t should
apply 20 the whole district.
DELICATE BOOTH.
Hon. Walter L. Booth, member Of the
House of Delegates from this city, thought
it would be "a mistake FOR the Democrats 10
adopt any other system al this time than
the primary. What is wanted now. he said.
leu free expression of opinion. and this can
only be- had whore every voter can go TO
tht polls and cast hls ballot for the man of
hls choice.
MR. A. p. GUIGOS.
Il think the election this fall will be of
the most vital Importance to the people,
and 10 seems 20 ue eminently proper that
every citizen in this district should have a
voice 90 the selection Of our standard
bearer, said Mr.. A b. Guicon. There
i.rc ! think mary throughout the
district will be most satisfactory and VIII
result. 10 spite OF the LOd-e bill, IN victory
20 Guy cause. | regret the apparent re-
cess.ty Tor primary because II is cum
broUs and costly but We can afford TO
leave no stone unturued TO prevent the
possible disafection Of even one voter"
COLONEL W. P. SMITH.
The commander Of Lee Camp. who is also
o. eX-membcr Of the CITY Committee, ~ au
original primary man" and Is Of opinion
Il tins system WAS ever needed now IL the
time it should oe adopted. 1t Is the only
way. be thinks. whereby every voter can
express las choice, and II adopted will
likely plye general satisfaction and result
m good TO the party.
Nh. WILLIAM II. cULIINGwoRrB.
10 seems to me that precinct meetings
will accomplish all that could be hoped for
from primary, besides beng so much less
expensive. sald our jolly ex-postmaster.
GENERAL JOHS r. COOKE.
This gentleman who is one Of the best
businessmen IN The city, and whose opin
iOu On almost any subject is worth good
deal. unhesitatingly said he was IN favor
Of he primary. which he believed would b,
well FOR the party II adopted.
COLONEL JOHN MURPHY.
II think the ward-neetings the best wa,
OF selecting delegates" remarked Colone
John Nurphy. Let our voters meet II
ma s-meetings aud select good men 70 g
20 the convention. Don't instruct then