New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-08-14
STEP BACKWARD N VIRGINI4!

The agitation for change To some more
popular system of nominating ana electlng
United States Senators, which for some years
past has found an Increasing echo IN public
sentiment seems TO have encountered serious
and. on the whole. regrettable cheek al 'he
Virginia Democratic State Convention held al
Roanoke on last Wednesday and Thursday.
The convention had been called for the usual
purposes OF nominating n State ticket anu pre-
pairing a party platform for the approaching
campaign hut interest IN both candidates ana
platform was quickly dwarfed by the excite
ments OF two days struggle for supremacy
within the party between the defenders or ne
present method Of choosing Senators and the
advocates of Senatorial nominations on more
popular plan.
The championship OF the new system-one
practically Identical with that now i'll force in
South Carona-was assumed by w. A. Jones
a Representative In Congress from the LIST, OF
Frederick sburg. District; while the vindication
Of the traditional processes. ny when they had
themselves been chosen. and which had been
handed down unchanged from the early days
Of the Dominion. fell to the persuasive elo-
ouonce Of John w. Daniel and the practical po-
lifcal ski Of Thomas :. Martin. Mr. Jones
won victory a the outset In the Committee
ON Eosolutions. the South Carolina primary
election scheme securing It's Endorsement on
"Wednesday evening 10y IL votes TO IA. in the
convent on next day. however Senator Daniel
after a hard struggle, succeeded In reversing
the committees judgment, and the innovation
Of submitting Senatorial nominations 10 n pop
ular vole-an innovation naturally alarming 10
The directors Of the all-controlllng Richmond
mach,ne-was finally eliminated from the plat
form by a vote of so 70 600.
!; may bn charged-and was freely charged on
The floor of nc convcntion--that Mr.. JoneS's
campaign for change In the methods Of choos-
ing United States Senators 700 clearly in
splrcd by PERSONAL and faciiona motives and
that the real purpose Of Tho primary election
plank az first adopted was not so much TO sim
pify and popularze the processes by which
nominations for the Senate arc made a. to de-
feat the return Of Senator Martin 10 Washing
ton IN 1900 Public opinion in Virginia has not
altogether forgiven the junior Senator for his
defeat of General Ftzhugh Lee in the Demo
cratic legislative caucus at Richmond -four years
ago: and it was perhaps to the still latent pop
ular dissatisfaction with that result. and with
the political conditions which made General
Lees rejection possible, that the advocates Of
a change in electoral methods appealed at Roam
oke with greatest point and effectiveness. The
Interior personal and partisan motives lurking
behind the exploitation Of Mr.. Joness pro-
gramme Of primary elections may have In the
end reacted sufficiently to secure the South
Carolina plans defeat Yet It was undoubtedly
supported in eli sincerity by many elements
within the convention which are already weary
Of the methods which have reduced political
action Of any sort IN Virginia TO m empty farce
and are now eager 10 share III any movement
which promises return 10 healthier party
activity and to more liberal nnd i'oi''lnr form,
OF parry government.
II Is 10 be regretted In the incres, OF better
politics at the South TINT the forces behind the
demand for a freer voice In Senatorial nom.