Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-06-04
Tho Times and tho Primary.
RICHMOND. VA, June I, 1893.
tn Gbe Zdi'or Of HE Uispd,ch.

RICHMOND, VA, June 1, 1871
To ne Etfi'or of he Dispd,oh'
Your dignifed and sensible stand IN re;
card 10 the question which has excited
the Times so much--namely, the action
of tho City Committee In adopting
the convention plan for nominating candl-
dates for the Legislature ncouragos mo
10 ask you for little space wnefe'h W s"y
q word or two.
IL il said by those who are so jealousy
advocating n primary that the idea of a
convention had not been breathed before
the City Committee met on May %, 1917.
We find on the subject the following:
"The city Democratic Committee will meet
soon after the session OF tho state committees
and decide "a to the time and manner OF eject
ING delegates TO tho State Convention. ana now
aud when legislative candidates shan DO noini-
mated. At present IL Appeals hkeiy thAt pte-
cnct meetings will no held % elect de'osaies-
Sentiment Is overwhelmingly in favor Of con
ysntIon for the nomination OF le2is,atiic candi-
dates. An early convention Is prcbiOle. inc
Tinpes, R.chmond, Va, May IL 1898.
Then see tho state of May 10, 1893. See
suggestion IN the Times of May ~. 1888, TO
the City Committee to be cautious 10
taking action. Read the papers tor the
two months previous TO the meeting OF the
Clty Committee aud SEQ whether the mat
ter had been before tho people or no'.
Read the editorial mentioned by the
Times of one OF the candidates Cor tie
House of Delegates on May II. 1898.
Since the adoption OF the convention
plan the Times has become strangely eX-
cited. and SAID some strange things. L
quote from It's editorials:
40 action OF 2 public NATURE has oc-
cured In Richmond TOR a long time when gives
tho people moro unbOunded establishment than
the action OF the CITY COMMITTEES on Tuesday
night in providing that the candidates tor NOM
hcrs OF tho Legislature % DO elected In Noyem-
her mex. shall be chosen by n convention ins efd
there were no, $50 voters in the city % Rich
rnond who had the slightest idea that action II
this sort was cOn,eT plated by tho committee.
lt Ind not been published amongst the people
when such BODY so entirely tram
srends tho authority committed % IL. rs tde city
Committee aid on Tuesday night, members OF
the party may submit or not, ns they choose.
" Here l. 4 case IN which tho commit
tee has undertaken 10 make . change trom pr-
mary To- cOnycntiOnl before the people hal ever
heard Of the proposition
"Ihe committee has EXCEEDED its
mower. and mas. recall ~ action, or tho people
VIII take other action m the premises.
"a convention viii send there the
cl1qucrs o. men VINO want ID be made senator's
and judges
(Whom does 1t mean?)
Then read its Quarrellngs VITA the
DIspATcH and the Td'. Next 1t says;
THE PFOPig KSrw NOTHING or 1.-THE
TWcs has very earno tly pressed upon pl0ac
attention that the people ha1 no aOt!;e Of tno
proposed change
Il first said the thing never had been
done before nor heard of / expect. but
latter did acknowledge that 1t Was wrong
IN tnat.
The Times saws much abOut "heelers'
and "bummers." II II was little better
informed II would know that they are the
very boys VINO are nearly dying for q lrl-
mary. Let 1t ask some Of our very best
men who have been IN primaries a 70 THIS.
With q convention their Occupation -
gone. Ike Othclio's.
The Times sets a sail 10 wiudwari for
the wOrkngmcn ~: the " worHlnEmen
do not take Just so all that the T mes pre-
pares. one OF them. and u man os intelll-
gence. asked me :he other day how tins
way. # the workIngmon' were recos-
nized a. much in 4 primary - IN n con-
yentlOn. He cited tho last two elections
Of Nom ers OF the House OF Delegates tlr
tho city. In 1888 the convention nOmi-
mated Booth ana Byrne. both working
men,: IN 1871 by the primary no WORK
ingman was nominated. Surely the
" workiugmen" cannot afford TO fix -
tho heelersn and "bummers out OF tle
salary of $3.50.
BESIDES the references above made 10
OF a convention plan by the CITY Commit
tee prior % its meeting. the chairman had
SAID n good deal IN the way OF inter-
v.ewsn through the papers. and | an re-
llabv informed that long prior thereto be
had. either personally or otherwise, re-
0uestei the members Of the committee
not 10 pledge themselves for convention
If approached. expressing himself at the
same time as heartily IN favor ~ primary,
i. ION sob ~
thing else 10 The bitter end. the majority
of the committee 90 the contrary notw TIL
standing.
Now, take II that The CITY Committee IS
composed Of men of IS rauch experience
and a. good sense MS almost any. aud they
are selected from the different sections OF
the city, from among rho people. After
full time and due consideration they have
decided 20 select the candidates tor the
Legislature by the convention plan. and
they will not be coerced into any other
method by the buster and gush of any
one. Tho lmputation made by the Times,
If II were not puerlle agd ridiculous
would Doe resented by the committee 10
man | think.
Great capital is made of tho large num-
her OF signatures the Times had secured 10
its petition asking for a primary bat viii
any sensible man of experience care q
baubee for signatures TO IA petition OF that
character. so circulated. or doubt for
minute that two thirds OF the same men
would sign petition for a convention If
presented 10 them tomorrow They harp
on ward meetings The committee decided
to have precinct meetings.
Lord Macaulay has SAID that the motives
given TO the public in advocacy of men
and measures are rarely. II ever. the truo
motives. Why IS such IA STIR made over
this matter? Is 1t solely through patriot
ism, AS IS claimed
believe that tho Democrats Of Rich
mond will be satisfied wish the action of
the City Democratic Committee.
s. A. L.