Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-10-16
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. 16, 1897.
DEMOCRATIC PRIMARIES.

The Clarke Courier quotes Congress
man Hay as saying that he opposed the
senatorial primary election proposition
at Roanoke because it did not provide
for a legalized primary. Doubtless there
were others there who voted against Mr..
Joness resolution upon the same ground.
But il is not too late to remedy the
omission complained of.
The Dispatch is not prepared to say
that the Legislature should determine
when" a political party should hold a
primary election. but it might well lay
down law under which all primaries
should be conducted after they have been
ordered by the proper authorities of the
party.
For instance. II two years hence, there
Is only one candidate for our senatorial
noraination, we ought not to be COM
PEELED 10 go TO the expense Of having a
senatorial primary throughout the State.
On the other hand. II as seems likely,
there should be three or four candidates
for our nomination. then the desirability
of having a primary would be apparent,
and we think our party would not hest
tate to order It. True. a State conven-
ton would have 10 be convened. but
that proceeding would not be attended
with much difficulty. Any city I'm the
State would be glad to make provision
for the convention. and plenty of good
Democrats would be found willing to ac-
cept election as delegates thereto
Probably, the whole subject of primary
elections will be deliberately discussed In
the next Legislature. The Democratic
Committee OF Richmond will appear
there and ask for amendments to our
special law. And according to our un-
Outstanding of public sentiment here.
the wish is that whenever il is deemed
desirable to have a primary election
here the primary shall be held under
@ State law, which law shall conform
as nearly ss may be to the general cleo
lions law. and which shall, also, impose
like penalties for wrong-doing.
Here. again. II would not seem TO be
the proper thing to make these primaries
compulsory. TO show what a hardship
q compulsory primary might work we
have only TO refer to the fact that II
there had been a hard and fast law upon
this subject at our last election we should
have had to hold a primary to nominate
a City Treasurer AS 1t was. the City
Democratic Committee, by common con-
sent, declared as our nominee the one
candidate who offered. and the people
were, OF course, entirely satisfied with
that action.
We confess that we have much To
learn upon the subject of primary cleo.
ton laws. We do not profess TO know
u ALL" In no two States are these laws
alike. SO far as We are informed. But
everywhere, we believe. the supreme Oh
Ject OF the law is to punish wrong
doing and 10 give TO primaries the
sanciity aud safeguards of a general
election.
Whether the Legislature passes prl-
mary election law for Richmond
OF for the entire State. the paramount
object should be to secure fairness.
uniformity. and regularity. There have
not been many instances OF wrong
doing in the Democratic primaries
"a this State. And il is system
chat the people like and which is grow
sng more and more popular. and we hold
that the time has now come when II
should be wisely leglslated upon. leae,
the primary system has taken a step
this year far In advance Of any former
one-many counties having ordered pri.
msries to be held TO express their choice
Tor county judges. IL these primaries
should give popular satisfaction It may
be presumed that sim other uses for the
system VIII be found hereafter
30 the subject has already become one
~ imnortsnee. and II would be well for