Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-05-17
Richmond and Norfolk Politics.

AS we understand the matter. at the
Democratic primary election held in Nor
folk few days ago the general ticket
was nominated but councilmen were not.
And it seems that the time for nomi-
mating councilmen under the primary
election law. either by ward meetings or
primary, has passed. Therefore, any
nominations made now will be made out
side of the law; that is to say. fraud COM
United in the making Of such nominations
will not be punishable by law.
How 1t happened that the time for
making nominations for councilmen was
allowed to pass unnotced we do not
know. There il, however some intjmation
In the Norfolk papers that 1t was not
unintentional-that 1t was the work OF
the ring" But the wonder Is that the
public, or the organs Of Norfolk public
opinion, should have failed to call atten-
ton. often and loudly. to the limit OF
time. However. We freely admit that We
do not understand the political situation
at Norfolk. Not understanding the situa-
ton at Norfolk, which is so near US and
with which we are in daily communica-
ton, we begin TO think that possibly We
are not infallibly posted on the Irish ques-
ton, or Eussa's purposes in the East.
or the causes Of the Natabele revolt One
has to breathe the sulphurous atmosphere
OF war TO know exactly what is going on
along the lines.
Likewise many people who are unfortu-
at IN fnh Ifc
corporate Units do not seem to understand
what we Richmonders mean by going
into an examination at this late day of
the poll-books Of the primary last held
here. II is rather odd-thats fact! The
time during which a candidate could make
contest under our legalized primary
election plan has long passed, but So well
satisfied are the City Democratic Com
mittee and our public that our primary
was honestly conducted that one OF the
candidates has been allowed access to
the poll-books TO satisfy himself II he
was wronged, Intentionally or uninten-
tionaly.
That some errors will be found we doubt
not. No election ever held was free OF
errors. None ever will be held which will
be free Of errors. II we expect any such
thing-if we hope for the unattainable-
we might as we'll abandon elections, pri-
mary, secondary, and other. But it shows
what general confidence there is in the
fairness Of our recent election that no
very serious objection was made to re-
opening the question after the limit Of
time fixed by the plan had passed.
The way for us to reduce errors in an
election to a minimum is to have more
voting precincts, so that each set Of
judges will have less of work TO DO than
they now have.
To begin with. Richmond should have
more wards. Instead Of having six 1t
ought to have about ten. Think Of Madi-
son Ward, with a population OF about
5000, having as many representatives in
the City Council as Clay Ward. which has
population Of over 1900! How absurd
and unfair this Is. If we were speaking
about any other city than Richmond we
should say that the people must be
very stupid to be content to conduct "a
farcical basis as this.
Yes. Richmond should have more wards
When she has more wards she should
have a large increase in the number Of
voting precincts. We ought so TO arrange
our voting precincts as that our vote may
not only be easily polled but easily and
expeditiopsly counted. So far as our in
formal1 extends. the judges and clerks
Of elec0o6 at the primaries held In Rich
mond have harder work than any similar
corps Of election officers in any city in
this country. This is due to the fact
that we keep our polls open an extraordi-
nary number Of hours. that our primary
ticket is always long one. and that We
have too many voters to the average pre-
cinct.