Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-04-27
CHOOSE BY PRIMARY.
THIS MODE ADOPTED FoR THE eLEc-
TON OF RlcHMOND'S DELEGATES.
The Vote to lie an Open One--status of the
spotswood-Smith Contradiction
son-Ward Counciimen.

The Vote to lie an Open One--status ofthe
spot.wood-smith Contest-Jeffcr-
son-ward Counciimen.
The City Democratic Committee met in
| the Circut-Court room last night TO con-
sider the question Of how to elect dele
gates TO the State Democratic Convention.
which assemblies here on the 18th of May.
| 90 choose delegates TO the Democratic Ma
| tional Convention. electors. &c.
! Considering that most of the members
had been up all the night before recount
| ing the vote In the Spotswood-Smith case,
the body presented quite a fresh appear
ance.
Upon invitation of the Chair Colonel
John B. Cary, of tho Cleveland CLUB,
| addressed tho committee briefly. and Mr..
| Eerriier having moved that the delegates
| TO the State convention be elected by
I primary. Colonel Cary advocated that plan.
4 Mir. Bowry said be had no objection 20
/ O primary provided II was not such prl-
mary as we have recently gone through, or
| If II was not conducted at Third Jefferson
! 10y the men who recently had charge there.
/ lie moved TO amend ilr. Ferriter's motion
/ bv adding that the vote be rirQ UOce.
! nj. i lOulUbY rtlU IN WtS super ttlli'iAh
/ of Jefferson Ward, and he would see tnat
/ none of the men who oificiated at the
/ Third Precinct in the last primary had
/ anything to DO with the next election.
! QUESTION or MONEY.
! Mr.. Hicks said he favored primary, but
/ he wanted TO know where the money for
! ii was 10 come from. That was the ques
| ton TO be settled. As regards the munich
| pal primary he did not agree with some
/ people who had snimedyerted 50 severely
| on II. With the exception of the transac-
| tIOns at the Third Precinct IN Jefferson
! Ward the municipal primary was as far as
| any ever held and reflected credit on the
| committee.
Mr.. snead favored a primary and an open
| vote
Mr.. Phillips thought Mr.. Hicks had
! touched the main question. The subject
| should be referred 10 the Committee on
| Plans that they might examine into how
| the money was TO be raised.
| Mr.. Wallace SAID hr was in accord with
! Messrs Hicks and Philips but he would
/ 60 further. The question was not 80 much
! whether the committee could raise the
money as whether they should. 1t was
| bad plan TO 20 before the public too often
| foI money to pay for contests within the
party.
TOO MUCH TALK.
Mr.. Snellings said he thought there had
been too much unnecessary talk about
! money. Colonel Cary had said he would
/ be responsible for one halT the money
necessary. Ilo (snelhngsl thought with
| the little influence he had he could raise
| the other half.
Mr.. Hicks, replying to Mr.. Snellings,
said il was easy enough TO talk about
raising money, but they had no victims
| this time.
Mr.. Hall favored a primary. He said
| there were 500 people IN Richmond
| who wanted 10 90 10 the convention,
and be thought the money could be
eas,lv raised We had to elect Dinety-six
! delegates, and he believed the aspirants
would be willing TO pay - apiece.
| Mr. W. II. Curtis here stated that Colo
mel Cary having guaranteed one half the
| expenses he would guarantee the other;
| Nr. Hicks moved, as 2 substitute for hr.
| Ferrter's motion and Mr. Bowry's. amend
ment. that the whole matter be referred to
| the Committee on Plans.
| CHAIRMAN WOODS VIEWS.
Chairman Wood took the floor and an
| tagonized the proposition that tho COM
mittee 20 on the public for the money.
! he committee should be ashamed 70 do
| this. The question ought 10 be, What IS
| the lust and the right way 10 get at the
! choice Of thepeOple2 He was IN fayGr OF tax
| ipgtnose who ran. The committee should
| decide whether primary was best, aud II
| they reached that conclusion, or any 0ther
conclusion, refer the subject 10 the Com
mlttee on Plans. lie itereted that tho
| committee ought to decide what was
| right. The question was not one OF dol
| iars and cents. but higher one. If the
committee were not capable, after
| the recent experience, OF formu--
| lating primary plan that would
get honest returns then ~ would
| be better TO abandon primaries al
| together. lie was personally In favor of
a primary.
| THE GREATEST EVIL.
Mr. Wallace differed with the Chair. He
| did not think the candidates should be
! assessed Most of the workers IN the party
| we're poor men. There were men who
would like to 90 TO the convention, but
who did not have the money. The conse,
oueuce would be that some one else would
nav their assessments and have them under
! their domination. This was the great evil
| he apprehended from q primary. Ihe
| delegates would go to the convention
! bourht. There were ten political Organl-
zgti0us IN the city which would doubtless
| like 10 see delegates 80 10 the convention
on this basis.
| be settled was whether there should he "a
! primary. lie wanted PRIMARY anu so-
cret one.
| Air. Rowry again took the floor and adj
| yocated an open primary. 4 number OF
! persOns in his ward had told him, ne sald'
/ that they wanted no more secret ballots.
| Mr.. Hicks Withdrew his substitute and
the vote was taken on Mr.. Bowry amend.
| ment. which was adopted by vote OF
ayes y: noes, z. The motion as AMENDED
was adopted.
MIR. Bowry moved that the details be
! referred to the Committee on Plans, with
instructions TO report Tuesday night.
This motion was adopted, and the meet
ing adjourned.
Status ofthe Spotswood-Sm Contest.
The main question in the public mind IN
| connection with the Spotswood-Smith
| case Is. What will be the next stepy
/ Under the resolution Of the Sanger-Hall
meeting Of the City Committee the body
met Monday night for recount ana re-
| canvass of the vote cast tor the contestant
and the contestee.
| When the committee adjourned, at 4:35
| Yesterday morning, the recount had been
| COMPLETED and gave SpotSwood majority
of ON the face of the returns, Pendlng
the execution OF that part OF the Sanger
Han resolution, which accorded Colonel
SpottswOod a recount, the committee adj
iourned to meet Thursday night.
HAS PROVED llls CAhR.
Las. night Colonel Spotswood was seen
by a DlsFATCH reporter and asked what
would be his next move.
Tho recount" he replied, gave us the
nomination. We have proved our case.
a., there is really now nothing else for us
10 40. Nevertheless, for our own salts
faction we will continue tomorrow 10 take
the dispositions of the remainder Of the
seventv-one persons who voted for US at
the Third Precinct jefferson Ward so as
10 establish completely our allegations OF
fraud aud our claim that the precinct
should be thrown out.
SOUGHT But NOT SEEN.
Diligent effort was made to see Mr..
Smith and get "a statement from HIM but
wIthout avail. Sir. Cosby. his counsel,
All at half-past o'clock IN the afternoon
thai he had not seen NJ. Smith since the
night before. The Commonwealth's At
torney was at his once during the day,
! -. =. a.. bonnanal that he WAS out when