Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-12-18
TIE COUNTY CON TEST
Lively Fight for the offices in
Spring Election.
PLENTY OF OPPOSITION
All the Incumbent, VIII Have Comics
txnt> in the General Election. Full
Ticket TO BE Chosen. Democratic
I'r;nlry Now Probable.


Tiled by the choice of the people on the
fourth Thursday in May. 1892 viii be on
il earnest. 1t is true there viii doubt
less be contests within the ranks of one
or both of the two political parties. and
these Will occur at an earlier date.
All the leading Offices in town and
county are to be filed by this election.
or by officials chosen at this election.
In the county, sheriff, treasurer. com
nhonwealths attorney. clerk Of the
county court, clerk Of the circuit court.
magistrates and constabes. are to be
chosen. Nearly all of these are posi-
ions of responsibility and with consid-
cradle remuneration attached. and
are. therefore, we'll worth striving Tor.
II the town the councilmen are to be
elected and in the choice of these men
Is involved the contest for mayor. town
clerk and police officers for they arc
elected by the council, who. together
with all the other officers. are chosen
ny direct vote Of the people the
fourth Thursday in May, and don their
official robes on the first day Of July.
Already it is practically certain that
Ill incumbents will stand for collection
and almost equally certain that they
will have competition in the general
c'ection,if not in the party mass meet
shall choose the nominees of the Demo-
Gratis and Republicans. Party lines are
always drawn to some extent in this
election in che State. and they certainly
will be in the coming contest. Fur
thermore the probability is that they
will be more closely drawn this year
than usual, and, in fact, than ever be-
fore. Just how the Republican party
Will select its nominees is not yet stated.
hut there is strong disposition among
Democrats 4 .iCiOpt he
plan OF selecting it's candidates. All
lien at all versed in practical politics
agree that it would be folly for either
l;arty to leave the race free-for- all
With two or more candidates for each
position from one party in the field and
only one of the other party. Each
larty. theoretically, maintains that it
las within its ranks more than one
'ian competent to fill every office at is
sue, and. that being the case, the ncces-
Sity arises to choose the strongest man
il points Of competency and popularity
10 represent the party in the struggle.
Certainly that is generally conceded to
bt the part of wisdom. if the question
of political faith is to cut any figure in
the contest. 1t is very probable that
the Democrats will this year adopt the
primary election plan of choosing nom
inees which is nothing more norS less
than an election within the party. This
plan is in vogue in this party in nearly
all the cities of the State and in many
of the counties. and in some of them
the primaries have been legaliZed by
legislative enactment. 1t is claimed by
The advocates of the plan that it unines
and solidifies the party -Ssote and
strengthens party allegiance.
In primary elections 1t is usually tho
custom to make the qualification for
voting therein the previous political af-
filiation Of the voter, or elector. This
is generally fixed by barring all those
from voting in the primary who did
not vote the party ticket in some spec-
fled regular election, generally a State
or national election. This being the
Prerequisite to voting in the primary and
being generally SO understood. every
man who presents himself to vote is
] resumed to comply with the conditions.
1t is largely question OF honor with
the man so desiring TO vote but il
there be strong suspicion that he did
not vote the party ticket in the election
agreed upon as the test, his vote may
be challenged by any candidate or other
interested party, and he may be re-
CURED to state on his honor whether
he did or did not vote the party ticket
ut the prior election specified Under
he secret ballot system now used in
this State. there is no positive way to
know just how a man voted. except by
his statement. Therefore. if a man
chooses to utter or to art lie. he may
vote. unless the judges of the election
TO whom the matter is left for decision
doubt his party loyalty and his honor
and decline to let him vote. When a
man votes in IA primary election OF par
ficipates in Il mass meeting or conven-
ton to choose candidates, his action in
doing SO is a tact pledge that he will
support the man chosen as nominee by
such primary. mass meeting on conNen
ton. This every man who helps to
choose a party candidate is expected
10 do. \
Some primary plans simply require
man who participates to pledge HIM
self to support the nominee or nominees
III the ensuing general election. II a
primary is TO be held by either or both
the parties in the coming contest, tho
executive committee or governing body
.: such party must draw UP the rules
and conditions of the primary proposed
10 BE- held. Theirs is. therefore, a re-
sronsible duty.
Even If the various aspirants for Of I
flee have no contestants for the nom
nation within their respective parties, !
il is now as certain as anything in the
future can be. that there Will be al least
iwo candidates for each Of the major
Offices to be filed by the coming coun- I
y election. All the present incumbentS, I
With the exception Of Mr.. John Booker, I
clerk Of the county court, will be can
dldates for recollection. In the exception !!
Mr. Harry w. Booker the present |
deputy clerk who has been discharging
the duties of the office for the clerk. his |
brother. will be Il candidate. the incum- I
bent declining to run again, owing to |
FILLING health In addition to the in
cnnDents there are various other gen I
tiemen within whose boHnets the official
bee Is !ndustriouSly and Seductively !
puzzng and singing alluring songs of
success salary and satisfaction II is
as vel loo early to name any Of these 1
prospective candidates for they may at
any time assume the proyerbialfeminne
fsyf,. .