Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-09-20
Virginia Editors Espouse the Cause
Of Primary Elections.
DANIELS POSITION CRITICISED
United States Senator Losing His
Popularity With the People.
MADE MISTAKE AT ROANOKE



nations is gaining force throughout the
state. and bids fair to become a powerful
factor in Virginia politics. For years this
sentiment appears to have been smoldeTN
ing. and not until a comparatively recent
date has it taken a definite shape and ex-
pressed itself in public gatherings for the
nj mination of candidates.
That an era in the political feeling Of the
state has been reached is clearly evident.
The democratic forces in the state have
been practically under the control of few
men. The masses for years have not dared
I, assert themselves in any united strength
against these few leaders who have been
known as the head of the machine. Con-
spicious among these has been Senator
John w. Daniel Maj. Daniel has had
plain sailing ever since he became promi-
nent figure on the floor of the United
States Senate. Few ventured to oppose
him in his opinions and his tactics. He has
Field wonderful power over the people,
and what he said went with his many
thousands of followers, who accepted his
views as a matter of course without an
tagonism or question.
OF late there has been fast-growing
opposition to Senator Daniel. When he
used his powerful influence in the recent
state convention at Roanoke against the
plan of choosing United States senators by
a direct vote of the people, he struck a
srag that has since done no little toward
dec reasing his power in the state. Hereto
majority of his followers as a vigorous
champion of the peoples rights and not
leader of the machine
Country Editors Aroused.
His antagonism of the primary plan intro
duced at the Roanoke convention aroused
the opposition of some of the best known
country editors in the state. They cham
p,oned the cause of thu masses and have
been making editorial shots at the major
ever since The consequence is that he has
been losing ground with the people at
large. and the fight in favor of the primary
elections on all occasions goes merrily on
1t is believed that this stand taken by
Senator Daniel is the beginning of long,
and eventually successful, opposition 10
him as senator, and that his successor will
be more peoples rights man, and not a
mac hine leader.
10 show how strong the sentiment cX-
lists in favor OF holding primaries, con-
vention at Parksley, Accomac county, for
the purpose of nominating q democratic
candidate for the house of delegates fur
nishes an illustration. There were dele
gates from Accomac and Elizabeth City
counties, and a lively meeting was held
After a wrang1e and many warm speeches
the whole contest was referred to Eliza
beth City democrats to be determined by
primaries.
This was one of a number of similar
cases which have attracted much comment
m the state of late. The Spottsylvania
convention did the same thing, and the
Nelson and Amherst convention, after a
great deal OF wrangling, broke up in the
same way. Several others have resulted
similarly, including the convention at Lun-
enberg. 1t is believed by conservative OBJ
servers who have been watching the growth
of the primary movement that it will event.
ually result in the abolition of the conven-
ton scheme. and take the power away
from the mac hine, and put it into the
hands of the people This Is regarded as
the liberal policy which will eventually re-
suit in more democratic form of govern
ment throughout the state. 1t will break
up certain political ring which overstep-
ped the limit in regulating and engineering
political movements. Their cut-and-dried
methods. together with a disposition to be
greedy In patronage and political prefer
ment Is thought to be the foundation of
the new condition Of affairs and the stead
fly growing sentiment in favor of the pri-
mary system. ,..,.. ~
Populists Opposed Echols.
A very strong fight is being made in the
state among the straightout populists
against Edward Echols for lieutenant gov
ernor. In Chatham a few days ago some
of the delegates to the county convention
were sore over the action of that body in
allowing the populists to partially control
it, as we'll as to name as one of their stand
ard bearers one who has in no way pledged
himself 10 support the platform. The pop
ulists were smart enough to await the ac-
ton of the democratic convention, and The
statement of the populist chairman that
he was unable to tell whether or not his
party will indorse the ticket named is
thought to be quite significant. At the re-
cent meeting of the populists' special COM
mittee In Lynchburg the address to the
peoples party of Virginia severely CEN
sured the democratic state convention for
its refusal to nominate Captain Cooke
populist, for lieutenant governor charac-
terizing II as an insult to the populist
party. 1t urges that populsts use all pos
sible means to elect Cooke, and to elect
members for the legislature wherever they
can. The committee affirmed that many
patriotic democratic votes will indicate
their disapproval of the democratic nomi-
nation by voting with the populists The
committee would not consider the question
OF fusion with the republican party.
The argument is being made by the popu-
lists that AR Echols, who is running for
lieutenant governor the Roanoke plat
form ana ticket is at heart a gold stand
ard man, but Joined his party when they
made the big leap to the silver standard.
This is true. Echols was originally a gold
man. He followed the party, however and
this has been the cause of some people
calling him an India rubber gold man"
rampant sliverites who claim that the
party should be the boss at the same time
object to Echois because he was not an
original silver man when the currency
question trumped UP as an issue and split
the party His original currency views are
working against him to such an extent that
some observant politicians express grave
doubts of his election. claiming that Cooke
viii be supported by number of original
free silver democrats
VIII Not Affect WilIard's Case.
This condition of affairs will not hold in
the case of Mr.. Joseph E. Willard of Fair
fax. who has been nominated for re-elec-
ton to the house. Mr.. Willard is one of
the most popular members in the body, and
his preference for gold standard at first
will not cause his defeat. He will be re-
elected by large majority.
The fact that Ex-Governor William E.
Cameron of Petersburg has written a let
ter stating that he will support the demo-
cratic gubernatorial ticket this fall has
caused much comment among the free sill
yer people. Col. Cameron. who was the
principal stumper of the gold democrats
last fall. says that since national issues
will take no part in the campaign, he does
not see how a futile attempt to introduce
them should influence him against the
nominees. He takes the ticket as the best
in the field, and intimates that, while the
platform might be worse. should the
straight-out populists put ticket in the