Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-11-28
PRIMARY ELECTIONS.

|
discussion OF tho senatorial primary
election question, but we doubt IL the
subject has lost any Of It's interest for
the public. Most people expect that the
LEGISLATURE WILL at its coming session.
take up the whole subject Of primaries.
and. possibly. enact q general primary
| election law. In that event II will only
be necessary for our party to choose
whether II Will make It's next nomination
| for senator by primary, by conven-
| ton. or by legislative caucus. as OF old.
We say next nomination" in view OF
| the fact that the Hon. John w. Daniel
was nominated for reelection by the
Roanoke convention. Every man who
accepted a Democratic legislative nomi-
nation during the last canvas put him
self under an obligation to vote for
Major Daniel, and the legislative eau
Gus, which, we presume. will be held as
usual, will be mere formality.
Now, whether the next senatorial nomi-
nation shall be made by a primary cleo
ton or otherwise must be determined by
our party. Tho Legislature OF Virginia
may" give us q law under which we
must" work IL we decide to have
primary, but II should not undertake to
say that we "shall' have primary to
make this. that, or 'tother nomination.
Our Legislature Is almost unanimously
Democratic, yet 1t is not the legislative
body OF our party. The only body that |
could commit US to a senatorial primary |
or any other primary would DO Demo-
cratic State convention, which may be |
called at any time the State Committee
sees fit to do so.
However, on the general subject OF
primary-election laws. we would say that
public opinion in Virginia Is more nearly
agreed now than ever before. Judging
by the experience OF Richmond, It ap-
pears that primaries have grown In favor
greatly. Where there is serious con-
lest for any important office no other
method Of nomination that has yet been
ievised gives as much general satisfac-
Ion as the primary. 1t is, therefore,
line that there should be general legis-
alton upon the subject
Virginia should have law providing
hat whenever or wherever a primary
election is held in this State the penal
les for fraud there committed should be
IDENTICAL with the penalties provided In
he general election law
The Richmond primary-election law
ow upon the statute books Is the re- ]
llt OF compromises, and was passed at
time when We were not go rich in ]
Experience as We are now. This ac- I
cunts for It's faults. 1t allows our party {
ere TO have a primary under 1t with all
I the attendant penalties, or the party
lay have primary outside OF II with :
o penalties at all! That Is not a good !
Every primary ought to q
o subject to law. Every fraud COM ?
lifted at a primary should be subject c
} the same punishment as frauds COM ,
lifted at regular elections. y
Let us hope our Richmond senators b
nd delegates in the General Assembly {
ill give particular attention to this v
latter. Let US hope that all other mem IT
ers will also have their interest aroused O
the end that Virginia may not only
ave a good law under which we may L
animate n United States senator. but a
good law under which we may nomi- ..
tie other persons who seek the support
our party for other officers Il
Our party should have the largest lib p
ty OF action in determining whether or 7
IT 1t will mako its nominations by 20
imaries, but when it has selected the n
imary as the mode 1t ought to hold 81
at primary under a general law, i'm re
sing upon the officers just such duties -.
ID responsibilities as the laws of Vir- y,
ala prescribe for regular elections. u