Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-06-18

The foregoing heading and the follow
ing article are from the editorial columns
OF the Lynchburg News, a fair and square
paper. but in this instance the victim of
transformation:
The respected Richmond Dispatch seems
TO be up in arms because the Richmond
Democratic City Committee has adopted
a primary plan of olecting delegates 10
the State convention which provides for
minority representation" That is TO
say, the delegates are to be apportoned
according to the strength developed by
the various candidates. This plan is
not uniformly adopted throughout the
State: but it has prevailed In Richmond
for eight years. and 1t will seem queer to
many that the esteemed Dispatch should
get excited about The matter at this late
day. The minority representation"
plan was good enough for the late Rich
ard f. Berne when he contested the
nomination with Phil. Mckinney. 1t
suited Colonel A. S. Buford four years
ago, when he ran against OFerraM.
Why should the plan suddenly develop
into shocking outrage" when II comes
to a contest between Mr.. Ellyson and
Major Tyler? The News has not. up to
date. taken any part In the gubernatorlal
fight: but IL Is not indifferent to the i'm
portsnce of fair play, and il does not
occur to US that our Richmond contem-
porary, which is. In a sense. the State
organ of the Virginia Democracy, is
treating Major Tyler and his friends with
proper consideration We know just how
hard II is for the Dispatch to maintain
u strictly neutral attitude in the pend
ing gubernatorial fight. and are not dis
posed to be hypercriical. But its COM
ments on this Richmond Incident are cal
cuiated to injure the prospects of the
Democratic party far more than they are
TO help the candidacy of MIR. Ellyson.
In answer to the News. we have to say
that il has been wrongly informed as 20
this matter. The minority representation
plan now to be enforced was never used
In Richmond in a gubernatorlal election.
except when Malone, Daniel Holiday
ana, Others were candidates. That was in
lsIS-twenty years agol Soon thereafter
tho minority representation plan was
used in a congressional election but II
our ,memory serves us right. 1t was then
made applicable. not only to Richmond.
but to the entire district. Since then
the minority representation plan has
NEVER been employed here.
Inc QcttetttS tiINANN Nhth biSh bNitic
vas candidate were chosen by ward
fase<ings." There are six wards here,
snd each ward elected its quota OF dele
gates al a pubic meeting In each
ward tho majority rule prevailed. OF. Il
there wore more than two tickets. the
ticket with the highest vote got the dele
cation.
Our primary election plan four years
ago was based upon the same principle:
but instead of having ward meetings"
wo.had a primary election. Polls were
opened. as at general election. and
there was an "OFerraE ticket" and
''Duford ticket pot up at each of the
twenty-five precincts. The majority
ruled. At each precinct the ticket that
secured tho most votes was declared
elected.
The committee OF Ellyson men that
waited upon our Democratic City Com
nalttce urged the City Committee to re-
open the question and have a vote ssmi-
~ - that u four years ago. They,