Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va) 1886-1890, 1890-03-29
WHICH SHALL 1T BEe
Shall Nominations be Made by Pri.
mary Elections or by Conventions.


The time for the election of our city
officers is drawing near and will soon
be upon us.
The 22d of May is the day on which
choice is to be made OF the men into
whose hands the welfare OF Roanoke
is to be entrusted for the next two
years, and it behooves the Democratic
party to be up and at work. There
has been considerable talk of late as
to whether primary or convention
shall be held, or whether the fight
shall be open for all who desire TO en-
ter. In order to obtain the views Of
the public on this question, a TIMES
reporter called on II number OF lead
ing Democrats yesterday and asked
them what course they thought would
be the best for the party 70 pursue.
The result is given below:
Thomas w. Miller: The Democrat
ic voter has right TO know whether
he is to be called upon to fight within
the party organization or will be free
to run n free lance" He can be in
formed only by the action of the COM
mittee to whom party affairs are IN
trusted-the City Executive Commit
tee. Therefore it seems plain that
the committee should meet and de-
terIuine whether or not Il party night
is to be made this Spring. and advise
the voters of its decision.
THE committee is the proper body
to determine that question and eX-
press no opinion as 20 what their
course should be-
Roy b. Smith As AIN a candidate
| don't know that it would be proper
for me to express an opinion on the
subject, or try TO use my influence
either way. But / am II democrat and
consequently subject to the action OF
the party. If they want 10 hold Il
primary, | shall be satisfied. or ii they
desire, to leave the fight open, Will be
content. But | do think, however,
that it would subserve the best inter
ests of the party 10 hold Il primary
Colonel John Il. Penn: II think II
fairly constituted convention OF Good
representative democrats would be
be best for the party. | haven't given
the matter much thought, however;
Dir. T. w. Grocer: Il am heartily
in favor Of Il primary. think 1t IS
the one way TO find the right man Tor
the right place. y primary Will bring
no contention in the ranks.
Judge Samuel G. Williams Our
city is young and growing-Srowlng
rapidlv-and many new men are com
ing in. therefore | think it would he
unjust TO them to hold a primary at
this election. 1t should, in my opin-
ion, be IL free and open fight. don I
think primary would be desirable
in a town like this.
w. +. Baker: Il AIN in fora primary
if it is properly conducted. II some
action like this is not taken, the tic
ket will be spit and the Republicans
will win
J. II. Levy: u am in favor of a pri-
mary. because it does away with dis
cord and disafrection. 1t will be much
better for the party if 4 ticket is put
up, instead of having free fight and
splitting the Democratic ticket
Rush L. Derr: "a primary by all
means. For purity of the party, for a
pledge to the people. faithful perform
ance of public trusts, il is the best way.
Candidates who come out by means OF
a primary nave lltll PAL ~ oS q SloH
sor, but those who come out under
their own volitiop are like mules,
having neither pride of ancestry nor
hope OF posterity and are not safe TO
tie to any way. | am for party or
ganization as long as the party eX-
lists"
J. Allen Watts: Il think that in q
town like this, in its formative period,
it is of the utmost importance that
good officers be elected. On this more
than anything else almost, depends
the prosperity of our city, but l am
not prepared to say at present, NOT
knowing the sentiment of the people,
which would be the best way to in
sure the election of good officers. A
primary, if properly conducted, un.
questionable gives better index Of
the popular opinion than anything
else. but do not know whether the
people of Roanoke would submit to u
primary or not.