Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-03-28
WEDNESDAY. MARCH 2S, 1871
Tho Contest of April goth.

The City Democratic Committee mas
done its work well in preparing the p'd"-
that is TO say. the rules and regulations
for the legalzed primary election to De
held in this city on April 18TH.
The voting is to be by secret ballot anu
mainly under the forms applicable TO
regular election.
AS usual in our primaries. all names oil
candidates are to be printed upon one
ticket under appropriate headings. Inc
voter will erase the names of candidates
for whom he does not wish to vote Dun
flor instance he must vote for no more
and no less than five members OF the
Common Council and three justices oil
the peace. If he leaves on his ticket the
names Of but four councilmen his vote
as To councilmen will be lost. Or should
he vote for four justices his vote for JUS
tees will be lost: but in neither Of these
instances will his votes for other candi-
dates than councilmen or Justices be al
fected. provided that no informalities ap-
pear therein.
This provision Of the plan is one which
the Dispatch has long pleaded for, and
Will meet the hearty approval Of our
Democratic public.
$50 at the approaching primary we shan
Mt see. as we have seen at former
primaries. four Of five hundred voters
tickets thrown out altogether because each
OF those tickets was informal in some
particular. But the old rule Will continue
in force. be it remembered. that every
one who votes at the primary thereby
becomes pledged to support the whole list
OF nominees at the general election. In
other words Oor example,. no voter can
conscientiously say: 81 shall not support
the nominees for justices; l didn't vote
for Justices at the primary" Under the
committees plan such voter viii be
Obligated to support the nominees for jus
tees and the nominees for all other posi-
tons.
IL will be well for all persons who
propose To take part in the primary to
remember this, and the tickets should
have printed on them conspicuously;
Each person who votes any part Of this
ticket thereby oblgates himself to sup
port at the regular election ALL Of the
nominees Of this primary election
Another suggestion of ours which the
City Committee adopted was with respect
to expediting the count Of the votes at
the large white precincts. At all white
precincts where more than 3O0spersons
voted at the last municipal primary ar
rangements are to be made by which on
April 26th there will be, in effect, two
sets of cornerstone to count the votes
for the general ticket; the other to count
tho votes for the ward-ticket. Provision
IS also made for admission TO the room
where the counting Is to be done of re-
representatives. Of the candldates-that is
TO say. Of witnesses of the count.
1t Is also provided that all persons other
than those Offering to vote shall be pre-
vented from approaching within twenty
feet Of the place where the ballots are
received. This is something after the
order Of the ballot system. and
ia intended to rid the voter of the too
close attendance Of persons who wish to
thrust advice upon him as to how he
should mark his ticket.
It will be no easy matter to enforce this
regulation, and we therefore urge upon
the committee the necessity of making
thorough police arrangements to ensure
its successful execution. Should the rule
be strictly enforced at some precincts and
laxIy ut others ground may be thereby
furnished for contests.
That the purpose the committee has is
good one. and that 1t is approved by
the community. we entertain no doubt.
but all the same the committee assumes
responsibility to see that the police ar
rangements are so perfect that there will
be no cause OF complaint from anybody.
The Dispatch congratulates the commit
tee upon its frmness in adhering to It's
resolution that the members of the new
City Committee shall be elected at the
primary, instead Of by ward meetings. as
heretofore. 1t is certainly the wish Of
our people that the committeeman who
are TO serve for the next two years shall
be elected when the city officers are nomi-
udttu. IL - wei 10 ildhe the experiment.,
particularly as this addition to the list
Of candidates TO be voted for on April
Goth will give additional interest to the
election, and contribute to what we pre-
diet will be the largest and most success
full Democratic primary ever held in this
city. And, by the way. the committees
plan excludes from the list Of persons
eligible TO membership on the committee
all city. State. and Federal ofiice-holders.
and all candidates for Offices the word
office" we take II, meaning place
holders Of high or low degree, either. A
constitutional lawyer might raise the point
that the committee has no right to make
any new rule as to who shall be eligible
or who ineligible to Its membership. but
he would probably be overruled by public
sentiment just now.
Altogether the committee has done its
work well. and deserves the applause Of
the people.
The next thing In order will be for the
voters OF Richmond to bring out more
good men as candidates for the Board Of
Aldermen and Common Council.