Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-02-04
SUNDAY. FEBRUARY 4, 1894
Our Municipal Contest.

contest, or series or contests, rather, at
the Democratic prlmary-election TO be
held here for the nomination of candi-
dates 20 be voted for at the May cleo
zion.
We should not DO surprised IL the largest
primary vote ever polled In Richmond
were poilcd at that primary.
In the first place. an unusually large
number OF candidates are TO be nominated
Cor Offices To be filled. and. In the second
she rivalry for place this year is greater
than Il has been for a long time. The aim
OF our party. therefore, should be more
than ever TO have Its primary conducted
under such plan as Will be likely 10 give
the most satisfaction TO voters as well
as 70 candidates. Nothing that tho party
can do will satisfy everybody. but 1t Is
our duty TO adopt every safeguard that
VIII tend TO this end. We are not speak
ing about safeguards against "ballot-box
stuffing," because OF that we have had
very little in Richmond primaries We
firmly believe that in no city OF our size
In this country have primaries been more
exempt from fraud. However, we have
had a touch OF it here, but must never
have II again. or IL We do the guilty men
should be punished by confinement in the
penitentinry. The bill OF Mr.. Nicols Will
provide for this IL II Ia passed, If 1t Is
aot passed, there will be no difficulty in
getting special law for Richmond
We are speaking. therefore. more par
xlcularly as 10 the framing OF our primary
election plan. The City Democratic Com
Inittee should take ample time for this
work. 1t should approve and continue
those features which experience has shown
70 be good, and condemn and expunge
those which experience has shown 10 be
had, or at least doubtful Whether We
pcght 10 have viva VOce voting or voting
by secret ballot is always question.
Only occasionally. however. has viva
soca voting been adopted Tho chief OBJ
lection TO II Is that many voterS-many
Businessmen especially-rather than
openly decide between two good friends
who are candidates. prefer 10 withhold
their votes.
A more serious question Is whether a
voter should be compelled. whether or
not to vote for as many candidates for
each Office as there are nominations to DO
made. For instance If there should be
two candidates for a court clerkship.
xhould each voter DO required 10 vote for
enc of them under the penalty OF having
his whole ballot rejected? We doubt the
wisdom of this provision. At one NUM-
cipal primary held here not very many
years ago more than 500 of such ballots
were rejected; rejected because the voters
voted for a greater or less number than
the requisite number OF candidates.
one Of the principal reasons that have
hitherto actuated the City Committee in
recurring each voter to vote for the full
and exact complement Of candidates was
to "shut-out' quasi Democrats; men who
would salve their coRsciences for bolt
ing by holding that IL was only incum-
bent upon them 10 support at the regu-
lar election such nominees as were among
the candidates they had voted for at the
primary. But, rather than DO wrong
20 the great body OF true and loyal voters.
II would be better for the City Commit
tee to shut OUT these quasi Democrats
altogether.
BY the way. our means OF determining
ct a primary who arc and who are not
Democrats have always been OF the
crudest possible description. The wonder
IS that we have not had very serious
trouble from II. ~ .
Our mode Of counting ballots could be
improved upon both as to accuracy and
economy OF time II the committee would
print on a red ballot the names OF the
candidates for the general offices (mayor.
&C.,, and on a white ballot the names
Of the ward officers aldermen, common
councilmen. and justices) Then at all
the large precincts. at the close of the
POLLING, special judges might be sworn In
20 count the red ballots. and so the count
would be FASTENED and made more accu-
rate
Another thing which we think the COM
mittec might well give attention 10 Is the
drafting OF better regulations as TO con-
tests: contests where a recount Is asked,
or where the accuracy OF any return Is
challenged. The committee has rules on
the subject, We know. but we submit that
in view OF experiences that 1t has had
since those rules were adopted II might
remodel them TO advantage. Each can
dldste ought TO know exactly what his
rights are and with what conditions he
must comply. in order TO secure re-
count or other such inquiry. In some
contests. We have known members OF
the committee to differ very widely in
opinion AZ 10 the rights Of contestants.
OF course. It Is impossible TO make rules
which viii ct every imaginable case. but
We can at least profit by experience; not
20 do this would be the height OF folly.
Our purpose ought TO be to have q plan
which win satisfy every satisnable per-
son. That done the Democrats OF this
glorious citadel OF the party will nock
20 the primary to give expression to their
preferences. and will checrfully abide re-
suits no matter how much at variance
With their hopes those results may be-