Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-05-01
rhe prenidential primarv.

If the report of the Committee on Plan
Ia adopted by the City Democratic Com
mittee the Democrats of Richmond viii,
on Nav 18th, 20 to tho polls 10 vote ricd
roc for delegates TO represent them in the
State Democratic Convention. which Is to
meet in the Armory Hall in this city on
May 18th.
To each of the twenty-five voting pre-
cincts OF Richmond will be apportioned its
due quota of the ninety eight delegates
which we are entitled to send TO the
State convention. and-as we understoni
the plan-the names of all persons
Offering for delegates will DO printed 10y
tho committee on one ticket and IN alpha-
betical order, as is usual in our primaries
II there are twelve names on the ticket
and the precinct IS only entitled TO send
TO The State conyention.six delegates, each
voter will have TO strike from his ticket
(ballot) six of the twelve names. As the
voting will be. rird roce the state OF the
polls can be ascertained at any hour OF the
day.
The gentlemen who framed this plan
think that the best interests OF the party
will be served by printing tho names OF
candidates in alphabetical order. rather
than by allowing a " CLEVELAND ticket an
"unpledged ticket" and " HILL ticket "
20 be printed and voted. They argue
we imagine, that there are thousands
Of voters here who do not care TO en-
list under the banner Of HILL OF oil
CLEVELAND but who would DO perfectly
willing TO commit the whole subject to the
consideration and decision Of Democrats
who are known TO have served the party
well. and who have the reputation Of being
men of sagacity in pubic affairs.
We doubt not that both the HILL ana
CLEVELAND men will PRINT placards and
dodgers" to inform the voters who Is
who" but il the City Committee allows us
tickets (ballots TO be well distributed
amongst tine people in advance, many
voters will pick out their personal favorites
despite the pro.estations Of the campaign
committees.
Executing the rird-roco voting, the plan
TO be reported is in keeping with the sys-
TEN long in vogue in Richmond. As tor
the Uivq-roce voting proposed for this occa-
sion, it il the natural consequence OF
the frauds committed al the recent primary
in two of the precincts in Jefferson ward.
It Will probably not be adopted as per-
manent provision Of our primary-electlon
plan, because it would very much en-
barrass the four or five hundred city en-
ployees and great numbers Of other per-
sons. When this system was IN use IN the
primaries few years ago 1t was found,
however, that the workingmen. as gene
raj thing, were far holder than business
men III coming forward and expressing
their sentiments, for IT Is known that
some Of the best merchants here alb
,onted themselves from the polls
rather than go there and vote between
customers Of theirs. 1t IS also known that
these merchants employees followed the
example Of the merchants. But for such
impediments Us these the open ballot
would be infinitely fairer and better than
the secret ballot. However, for this spe-
cial occasion we have all agreed 10 make
use of the open ballot. When our City
Committee is more at leisure than now i
will proceed to frame a new primary-elec-
ton plan and IN the light Of recent ex-
periences in Jefferson Ward il will no
doubt be able TO adopt such safeguards as
will make our party's pathway straight
and smooth for many years to come.
We may say, 10y the way, that the Demo-
cratic party Of Richmond comes out Of the
SPo1swooD-SMTH contest without q diyl-
sion in lis ranks. Nobody defends or ex-
cuses the Jelerson-Ward culprits, and
tAey will be expelled from our party.
Nor are We in any danger Of disruption
from the primary Of May 18th. We shall
doubtless have family jar, but the jar will
not break, and at the November election
the family Of Richmond Democrats will be
found gathered at the polls and pouring
in their ballots for the nominees of the
Chicago convention.