The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-11-03
WHY THE PRIMARY PLAN WAS DE.
FEATED.

The Northern Neck News in further
comment on an article In The Times with
reference TO the attitude of the Roanoke
convention towards the senatorial pri
mary question says:
The News thinks The Times is mistaken
in supposing that the resolution reported
from the Committee on Resolutions at
the Roanoke Convention would have been
adopted had 1t simply declared for the
primary principle and provided in addi-
ton that the Legislature be requested 10
pass an act making such a primary legal,
and IL is because the News believes that
its city contemporary IS sincerely in favor
Of senatorial primaries that 10 would like,
II possible. to set II right upon this point.
The Times admits that II is not pre-
pared 10 speak by the card as to what
il calls the "ins and outs OF this discus
sion" and therefore we take the liberty
OF suggesting that If II will but take the
trouble 10 read the report Of the discus
sion which took place before the conven-
ton which appeared in Its issue OF Au-
gust the 18th, IL will be convinced that
the opposition TO the resolution was not
founded i'm any objections that were urg-
ed 10 its form 1t will find that Mr.. Jones
Is there reported as having said: 'The OPP
ponents were allowed every opportunity
to amend the report provided that the
principles in the resolutions were not vio-
lated But they would neither accept the
proposition or any scheme 70 give the
people what belonged TO them. They were
sin ply opposed TO the plan Senator Dan
iel I'm his reply did not challenge TINS
statement IL will also find, by an exam
ination Of the remarks Of Senator Dan
iel as the same appear I'm that report
that he did not base his opposition upon
the ground which II imagines defeated
the resolution. IL Is a fact known 10 every
member OF the Committee on ResOlu-
tons, and TO those who heard the pro-
tracted discussion before that commit
tee that the friends Of the primary plan
offered to accept "A simple declaration
committing the party to the primary sys-
tenn leaving all details for future deter
mination. 1t is also a fact known to all
who heard the debate before the conven-
ton that Mr. Jones made several ii
rect appeals 10 the opposition 20 suggest
any amendment or amendments that
would make the resolution acceptable TO
them. giving, at the same time. the as
surance that any change would be ac-
cepted which did not destroy the prin-
ciple which the resolution embodied. IL
does not come with good grace from any
opponent of the resolution now to declare
that he opposed IT either because II con-
tanned some provision he did not approve
or omitted something which he regarded
as essential. If The Times has received
such an impression IL has been imposed
upon.
The Times does not need to be con-
WINGED that the gentlemen who led the
fight against the resolution in question
were opposed TO the primary plan and
that they would have fought It in con-
ventlon, no matter in what shape It had
come up. That Is wherein our Northern
Neck contemporary has misunderstood
The Times. Our contention is this. we
believe that the people Of Virginia are
In favor Of this plan Of choosing senators
I'm Congress and we believe that the num-
Der of delegates in the convention Ia
vorable to the principle was sufficiently
large to have carried the resolution If the
issue had not been confused by the dis
cussion as to detail.
If the resolution had simply committed
the convention to the primary principle,
leaving the details to be worked out in
legislative enactment, the leaders of the
opposition would stll have made a Wig
orous fight against it. But. in our opln-
ion' they would not have been able 10
defeat the resolution in that shape.