The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-07-22
ALWAYS READ THE TINES
TUESDAY. JULY %, 1890.
cry DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE.

lis roportcd. on more or less authoritative
Grounds that the special committee having
,hc matter ia charge, will recommend 70 Inc
civ Democratic Committee the adoption OF
the prccinct plan as the best method OIL
olectinc the Congressional delegates from
Richmond. II is intimated that the CITY
democratic Committee will accept and ac'
uDon this recommendation, unless the DIS
,rict Committee shall interpose and adopI
some other plan that will govern an the
counties and cities Of the district.
Tlrr TIMES has, on several occasions re-
Gently. stated at length the reasons tha'
rendered the primary the most advisable
method Of selecting candidate, when
NAV be reiterated in the brieiest outline.
First. the greater fairness and openness oil
the method. Secondly, its greater conyen'
fence. Thirdly, and this is corollary Of
tbe two first. the disposition which Il would
raise in very large number Of most lnllu-
ontial citizens, who would take no part ID a
precinct meeting. TO express Their prefer
cnce: and, finally, the absolute certainty
tn1l lut tduNNdtf hh'Ais '~'N'N'
caiye the full and most loyal support in the
Congressional election, because there VIII
he no lurking suspicion that he obtained
the nomination, even partially, by the eXer-
else Of purely personal influences.
Everything goes TO show that there Is a
very strong sentiment throughout the dis
trict i'm favor of the primary. The Demo
cratic Convention Of Hanover only a few
davs ago adopted resolution IN favor ol
This method, and there is no reason to be-
lieye that this act was not thoroughly aP-
proved by the wishes Of the other counties
as the conditions in all Of the counties are
substantially the same. The primary plan
has the endorsement Of a very influential
section Of public opinion in this city and
there can be no real opposition 10 1t among
the members Of any very large class OF
voters. for il is generally recognized that IL
is the frccst and fairest method, 10 which
hut one possible objection can be urged
namely, the entailment Of some expense
upon whoever may be seeking the honor OF
the Congressional nomination, but this is a
question that does not practically concern
the voters.
THE TIMES would urge upon the atten'
ton Of the City Democratic Committee,
which meets tonight, the necessity OF
proceeding with caution before they ADOPT
the probable recommendation Of their
special committee. The Congressional cleo
= 81 inn, N that III
have been held in this district for nearly
suUuIu represent Ueyunu tue snauVw Oi us
pute and beyond all possibility Of suspicion
the preference Of the overwhelming major.
ity Of the Democratic voters. The freest
expression Of popular opinion on this vital
point can only be obtained by the adoption
Of the primary method. The only county Of
the district in which the Democrats secured
"a majority at the last Congressional cleo
ton has, as we have already stated, in
dorscd this method, and all the evidence
sustains the ,suppositiOn that this step l.
fully approved by the other counties. Let
the City Committee follow the example
which Hanover has set. In doing so they
will offend no class of voters, for every
class can be confidently expected TO favor
what is admitted TO be the fairest method Of
making a choice.
If. on the other hand, Getty Committee
snail adopt the recommendation of their
special committee, and the district com
mittee declines to interfere, the improba-
bilty of which THE TIMES VIII not discuss
until the City Committee has acted, there
will be feeling among large class Of De
mOcratic citizens, whose votes will be essen-
tial 10 Democratic success in the fall cleo.
ton, that the Democratic voters in this city
will not have been allowed such full oppor-
tunity of voicing their preference As the i'm
pOrtance Of the coming contest requires,
and as they themselves have right to eX-
pect.
The TIMES reiterates that it has no pre-
ference between the candidates whose
names have been canyasscd for the nominal
ton.
II advocates the primary, because that
plan will best subserye the interests of the
Democratic party. Those interests are the
interests OF THE TIMES.