Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1894-03-28
DEMOCRATIC MASS MEETING.
SHALL THERE BE A DEMOCRATIC
PRIMARY ELECTION
Some Suggestions IN Reference
Thereto.
1t Should be Maturely Considered Before
Determined Upon.


1t Should be Maturely Considered Before
Determined Upon.
Consider the Interests of the City and of the
Democratic Party.
Hon. A. G. Gordon, Chairman of the
Democratic Committee for this city,
has called Democratic Mass meeting
to be held in Columbian Hall next
Tuesday evening to elect new city
committee, and for such other business
as may come before that meeting.
For the special object for which this
meeting is called-the election of a
city committee-su meeting is a
proper one, for it is the selection of d
ocratic party as such. 1t seems to be
the general impression that, lin the
other business that may come before
that meeting" will be the question
such, shall nominate ticket for munic
ipal officers by primary election, and
whether that primary election shall be
held in accordance with the Walton
election law.
This is a question of such great i'm
portance both to the interests of the
city and of the Democratic party, that
it should be calmly and maturely con-
sidered in all it's aspects and bearings
before a conclusion is reached, and we
do not think that a mass meeting, in
which but a few probably have given
this question much thought, can, with
in the short time that meeting will be
held, give this question that mature
consideration it deserves, and that 1t
could be more wisely determined by a
judiciously selected committee of intel
ligent gentlemen, who could take the
time to consider it in all its bearings on
the interests of the city, and especially
of the Democratic party, and there are
many things that should be considered.
The first question in determining
proper action is, whether it is right in
principle and the second, whether it
iseexpedient.
Officers should be elected with refer
ence to the duties they are to perform,
and those best qualified by character
and capacity for their faithful and
efficient performance should be chosen
If they are to represent political princi'
Piles, then they should be chosen by
political parties but if their duties
are merely ministerial and have nc
connection with politics, then they
should be chosen without reference tC
their politics.
They should be nominated anG
elected by the citizens as such, and moi
by political parties. The government
of the city is a matter of business, and
should be conducted on business prin
ciples We do not consider it sensible
or business-like to apply political tests
in the election of officers whose duties
are not political.
The city should have the best officers
it can get without reference to politica
party relations. In this matter, politi
cal parties, as such, should be wholly
ignored, and the best men ;chosen
whether they be all from one party, OF
from several parties. But if political
parties are recognized at all, then
Justice would demand that each should
have an equitable share of representa-
ton in the government of the city, fol
each has an interest in it. and each
pays taxes to support it; and repre-
sentation and taxation should &C
together, as our sires of the Revolution
of 1776 maintained.
If ticket agreed upon by a non
partisan committee on the basis above
alluded to, should be formed, it would
be elected, and no injury to the city OF
Democratic party would result. Sup
pose, on the contrary, that the mass
meeting of the Democratic party should
resolve to make a party nomination by
primary election, what would be the
not redown to the interest of the Dem
ocratic party. That would be ticket
restricted to one political party in al
election that should have nothing tt
do with party politics, as the duties O.
the officers to be chosen are not politi
CAL Under these circumstances, it il
probable that a ticket would be agreed
upon by the opposition on a basis
MI oil r,ortiac (which ,rrnr1f
receive the combined vote of the Re
publicans, Prohibitionists, and sucl
Democrats as would be opposed to the
primary ticket, and would probably
defeat the Democratic ticket. ant
destroy the prestige of the Democratic
party, for in that case it would be {
defeat of the party, whereas if the!
agree on a ticket by committee as sug
party, even if it were defeated, it would
not be defeat of the party, but sim
ply of the individuals on the ticket
But such a ticket could not be de
feated, for there could not be a com
b1ned opposition against it that coul(
be successful.
AS this is not a political election, ant
as many are opposed to voting in /
primary election, is there not danger
that the vote in the primary election
would be so small as not to carry much
moral weight with it. 1t should bt
remembered, also, that whilst, in 6
political election, it is the duty of the
members of the party to support its
nominees whether they participate il
the nomination or not. such is not the
case in elections that are not political
because in that case it is merely q
choice of individuals, in which nc
political principle or loyalty to party is
involved, and each voter is free to vote
as he pleases. unless he takes part il
the nomination, when, of course, he
will be under obligations to support