Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-01-20

In nearly all the primary elections he'u
,n this country the judges are furn'snou
,,,,b "voting lists" These votinS-is'S
are 10 the primary election VIVA '"0
observation-disclosures are TO the regular CIV
tions.
rsuallv DAYS and hours are hxed "hen
voters OF a party are privileged TO appe'u
M designated places TO have tneir NAMES
crroucd by their county or city com
mittcos; but in Kentucky on the uay Oh
tho regular state registration any voter
may appcar before the registrar OF MS
,rocinct and have his name enrolled as
a "Democrat." or as Republican, or
as an .qndopendent" Then those books
,nav no used for voting-lists for any party
In Virginia we have usually used the
white observation-disclosures as voting-hsts'
though. as a rule none but known Demo-
Gratis have been allowed to vote.
IN Mr.. Reddy's bill providing for taking
the sense of the people as 60 their prefer
ences for United States senators 1t IS
provided that the test of political fealty
shall be how the voter voted at the last
congressional election. He thinks Few
negroes would claim TO have voted with
the Democrats; yet. for greater precau-
ton. he provides method OF chai-
longing any mans right TO vote.
in our leader Of yesterday We pointed
out some objections to Mr.. Reddy's
scheme. and we said we thought better
one woula be to have the judges of cleo
ton furnished with a voting-list for and
by each political party. Now the ques-
ton arises. In what way could that list
be best prepared?
A public enrolment would be best; but
If that be deemed too expensive, then the
duty of making lists from the registra-
tion-books might be committed to the
several county and city committees. And
lest they be tempted to abuse their power,
a method Of appeal from their decisions
should be provided The details Of such
a scheme. with proper checks and bal
ances. could. no doubt. he worked out
easily by experienced election officers.
Here in Virginia the main thing IS to
keep our primary elections from being
overrun by bogus "colored Democrats
The voting-list that puts a safety-brake
upon that danger and affords the fullest
and fairest opportunity to all true Demo
Gratis 10 vote is the list that is needed.
Mr. Reddys plan of making the regular
officers of election ex-oflicio the officers Of
the primary is good. In the first place,
il would be an inexpensive system.
In the next place it would bring out big
vote. 1t would bring men to the primary
who would also vote for the election of
members of the General Assembly, and
il would bring out men to vote for MEM
bers Of the General Assembly, who
would also vote ct the primary. Again,
we should thus be able to get for the
primary more experienced officers of cleo
ton than would be possible otherwise.
Since writing the foregoing article we
learn that Mr.. Reddy recognizes the force
of the objections we have urged against
his bill and will seek to remove them by
a substitute for section G. His plan, we
hear. is to leave each political party to
prescribe the qualifications Of its voters
and ne will provide in the law that the
judges of elections shall be guided by
such rules and regulations.