Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1897-10-02
The Elizabeth city Primary.

Hampton, Va, September 2S.-We
are witnessing rather a strange pri-
mary election to. day, in which only
the friends of one of the candidates
are participating. This remarkable
state of things has been brought
about by the action of the Demo.
cratic Executive Committee in their
management Of the party affairs of
late. On Saturday night the com
mittee had a meeting. Messrs. Whit
ing and Cumming, who alone of the
committee oppose Mr.. Montague,
were absent. The committee fully
decided to hold Il primary for the
whole county, and laid down as a
qualification for those who should
offer to vote that they should be
white, q years Of age, and should
pledge themselves to support the
nominee. This rule was earnestly
opposed by Mr.. Cumming and his
friends when they heard of it, and
also by many others, as they claimed
it left the way open for any repubu-
can who chose to do so TO vote.
Therefore, on Monday Mr.. Cumming
sent note TO Mr.. George A. Schmelz,
who presided over the Saturday
meeting, asking that the committee
be called together and have the rule
changed Mr.. Schmelz refused TO do
so. Mr.. Cumming then saw every
other member of the committee save
one MIR. Whiting, chairman, was out
of town., and met with no success.
Thereupon Mr. Cumming, declaring
that he did not intend to so into
other than a Democratic primary,
had many of his friends notified to
take no part in the election. Late in
the day the committee seems to have
reconsidered the matter, and called
a meeting, to be held at p. m, when,
on motion of DIR. Parramore, the rule
was changed to this etfect-that every
white Democrat be allowed to vote
without reference to how he voted i'll
the presidential contest. Mr.. Cum
ming then stated that he had used
his utmost endeavors to get meet
ing of the committee, without success
and having no reason to suppose
that they would meet or change the
Objectionable rule, his friends had
been notified TO stay away to-day, and
he asked that the primary be post
poned for few days, so that all
would have an equal chance, no one
could be injured, and there would be
ample time. This was refused by
the committee, and Mr.. Cumming
gave notice that neither his friends
nor himself would take any part IN
the primary. y meeting OF the adj
herenrs of Mr. Cumming, who were
present, was held after the commit
Tee meeting. and his course was fully
indorsed. Mr. Cumming will make
a protest before Accomac, and has,
he claims, a number of strong facts
to lay before the Democrats of that
county. One remarkable feature OF
the affair is that the election of the
Cumming delegates from WyJhe was
contested on the ground that Il Re
publican voted in the meeting. and
the committee backed the protest
with all its influence, and yet at the
first meeting after the convention
adopted a rule for voters at the pri-
mary that took no notice of a mans
past party affiliations, but the only
condition was that he would support
the nominee.
The Cumming party claim that
they fairly and sQuarely defeated
their opponents in the mass meetings,
and that all they asked was tor the
true Democrats OF the county to have
an opportunity to express their
choice. The tickets to day bore on
them, For Judge Lee and
Against Judge Lee" placed there
oy order OF the committee. In the
~ meeting the tickets of one side
bl re 6. like inscription, but it was the
v.rk of individuals, and not by au-
tllcrity OF a county Democratic COM
mi(tee.