Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-10-24

proEnosiS OF the case no Weii-iniofmev
man can gainsay. We give It, not "a
chill the ardor Of any patriot who Is
craving TO serve his city and State tn
public Office. but because. an a chroniclcr
OF current events, we cannot honestly
withhold the information from those who
depend upon us for news. However. we
do not hope or expect our statement to
have the effect OF Iessening the number
OF candidates for nomination.
/, has long been rule here that q
Democratic nomination for Office is
equivalent to an election. So we sup
pose, II will he next spring. and we
trust, for many. many years thereafter
1t is also a fixed custom that our nomi-
nations must be made by primary cleo
lions. SO upon those points there will
be no occasion for argument. But It Is
worth while considering whether our
municipal primary shall be legalized
one or not For our part we say let's
have legalized primary next spring
and ever afterwards.
In most canvasses in Richmond the
primary Is of more real consequence
to the people than the regular election.
That is to say. though the actual IRE
cording" Of the peoples choice is made
at the regular election, the making OF
that choice" is done at the primary.
Then. why should fewer safeguards be
thrown around a primary than around
the regular election? We cannot see
why. Nobody has ever explained why.
1t is true that we have seldom had
cause OF complaint as to the manner or
conducting our primaries, but we can
not rely upon continued exemption from
the evils from which so many other
cities have suffered. Therefore. we say
let the Legislature give us law that
will cover "all" primary elections that
are TO be held here, and that will con-
form as closely as possible to the gene
raj election law.
A fraud perpetrated at a primary
ought TO be as surely and as severely
punished as If committed at regular
election AS TO that, certainly, there
should be no two opinions. In the mat
ter OF having the two elections as near
ly identical in form as possible, there
may not be entire unanimity of opinion.
but we can see great advantages that
would accrue from the adoption OF the
rule.
1t is very desirable. too. that some
step should be taken to tighten candi-
dates expenses as much as possible. The
necessity for the employment OF paid
workers" at the polls has grown and
grown until It has become a great bur-
den. If not checked, and If 1t continues
to grow as it has done for the past ten
years, the time may come when 1t VIII
be impossible for poor man to make
successful run for Office here.
We say 1t may come TO that In the
future; not that 1t is already so. Yet,
great as the evil is and large as is the
cost thus imposed upon candidates, the
candidates would not think 1t prudent to
murmur against the custom. Therefore,
If a reform is effected, 1t must be effect
ed by the people, and of all people. those
of humble means, and particularly those
who have ambition to hold office, have
the most interest in seeing that cor
receive Is applied in season.
The matter of revising the Richmond
primary election law is now in the hands
Of a subcommittee Of our City Commit
tee. When the latter body has acted,
the draft of the proposed amendments
will be placed in the hands of our men,
bers Of the Legislature, and 1t will be
expected Of them that they will have
the draft enacted into law. So, 1t is
time the subject were attracting the at
tention that its urgency and magnitude
eptitle 1t to.