Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-05-08
CHOOSE BY PRIMARY
This Mode Adopted for the Selection Of
RiChmOndS Delegates.
WILL VOTE on THE 2isT.
The city Committee Selects This
Date-Candidntcs for Convention
Honors TO BE Assessed 81 Each
Plan to lie Prepared.

The City Democratic Committee in a
short session last night decided that
delegates TO the State Democratic Con
vention should be chosen by a primary
election.
The body was called 10 order promptly
at o'clock by Chairman Dawson. and
the business OF the evening was started
by Mr.. Doherty. who moved that the
delegates TO the staunton convention
be chosen by primary.
Mr.. Wallace said he was opposed TO
|, this plan, as the expense involved was
a serious point for the committee TO con
slider one hundred and one delegates
would have 20 be chosen. and the cost
Of the election would be quite heavy.
Mr.. Wallace submitted a rough outline
of plan, in which he suggested that
a meeting should be held IN some hall
in each precinct, and the delegates Sc
lected by ballots in the precinct meet
ings, between the hours Of 3 and II i.
NJ, on Tuesday, May 26th primary
election, he declared would cost at least
500, which would necessitate each can
didate being assessed at least S, which
would mean a great deal to some of the
candidates, who would, in addition. have
TO pay the expenses Of their trip TO
Staunton.
Mr.. Wallace offered his plan as sub
stitute for Mr. Dohertys
WOULD CAUSE DISSATISFACTION.
IT was suggested by Mr. Doyle that
there would be a great deal OF dissatis-
faction If the suggestion Of Mr.. Wallace
prevailed He was Of the opinion tnat
many people would vote In more than
one precinct, unless the registration was
brought into use
Mr.. Bowry made a brief but strong
argument for a primary election. lie
said be- believed one could be held Tor
50 per precinct, which, with all the other
expenses incident thereto, would cause
the primary to cost $3.50 or $500. II a
urinary could be held for this amount
he was i'm favor of IT. The speaker said
there were only two ways to raise the
money for the primary-One was to as
sess the candidates, and the other
was TO raise the funds by subscriptions
from citizens. lie was opposed 10 any
plan which would allow men TO vote IN
more than one precinct
Some further discussion was INDUCED
in. Mr. Winston taking the ground
that the candidates should pay for the
primary. if one was TO be held at all.
He SAID he had conversed with num-
Der of citizens, who said they would not
become candidates If they had to pay the
expenses Of the election. He did not
think many candidates would be willing
TO pay. Mr.. Winston favored the idea
presented by Mr.. Wallace
Mr.. Hall stated that the matter was
one Of great Importance. and there
should be a plan which would guarantee
satisfaction to all the people. Precinct
meetings would not do this Mr.. Han
favored an economical primary and said
he felt certain that the candidates who
wished TO go TO the Staunton convention
would not decline to pay $50 to 81 for
the primary.
A suggestion was made that II there
was a primary the silver men. or the
sound-money men, as the case might be,
might get together and try TO control
the delegations by putting up the money
promptly for the privilege Of being can
didates.
WANTED A REFERENCE.
Mr. Wallace withdrew his proposition,
and offered in its stead that the matter be
referred to the Committee on Plans with
instructions to bring in at a special meet
ing 20 be held next Thursday night q
the means for raising the funds necessary
to carry it out This motion produced
| great deal of argument and Mr.. Coalter
finally offered an amendment 10 Mr.. Do
! herty's motion, whereby primary
election should be held, and that the can
| didates should be assessed s. each, the
money 10 be refunded TO the unsuccessful
candidates. This met with considerable
opposition, IL being explained that the
Ill .4.f.. f..I
! candidates for the City Council and pay
them back the money that they were as
sessed In the recent primary.
Mr.. Hardaway offered as an amend
ment 10 Mr.. Coalters amendment chat
| each candidate be taxed s.. and that all
| that part about returning money be
| stricken out. This was eventually
adopted, and the motion OF Mr. Doheriy,
with Mr.. Hardaway's amendment, pre-
vailed
The Committee on Plans was directed
| 10 prepare a plan for the primary In ac-
cordance with the action of the COM
mittee.
ON motion Of Mr. Hellstern. 1t was de-
| cided that the primary should be held on
| Thursday. May 2lst. and 1t was agreed
| that it should be a vive-voce primary
A PERSONAL EXPLANATION.
Al the close of the meeting Mr.. Morris
rose 10 a question of personal privilege
and stated that a report had been put in
circulation against him that he was un-
willing to pay the judges and clerks
more than about 81 a day, and was op-
posed to allowing the laboring men living
WAGES He said that whoever originated
| the report never uttered blacker false
| hood. He declared that he had always
been I'm sympathy with the working
people and had always Favored paying
| men every dollar that they were Worlh'
rbe committee adjourned TO meet again
| next Wednesday night