Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-01-19
wEDNESDAY...JAN 10, 1895
THE REDDY BILL.


lions TO Mr. Reddy for starting the BALI
in the matter Of proposing law to pro-
vide for taking the sense Of the people
as TO candidates for the United States
Senate. And we hope that others who
have in mind other schemes upon the sub
ject will write them out and place them
in competition with Mr.. Reddys. Thus,
out of the mass Of suggestions, the Legis-
lature ought to be able to frame bill
which would be entirely acceptable TO our
party.
Mr. Reddy's bill gives evidence Of care
ful work and fits in very nicely with our
general election system. II has the great
merit. too. of being inexpensive and Of ar
fording the people an opportunity to vote
while they are at the polls for the pur-
pose of casting their ballots for members
of the Legislature. He uses the regular
election machinery for the purposes Of
tho primary; but, alas. this machinery is
weighted with an onerous condition-that
is. that we cannot make any discrimina-
ton in its use ION account Of color
Under the provisions of Mr.. Reddy's
bill. If a primary were petitioned for in
Richmond, TO take the sense Of the voters
here as TO their preferences for United
States senator, all voters who claimed to
have voted the Democratic ticket at the
last congressional election could come up
and deposit their ballots in the Demo-
cratic box. There is, Of course, provi-
sion made for challenging but challenges
in large numbers might lead TO a contest
ed election. And such contests within
the party always leave soreness. The
theory Of the bill is that very few
negroes could claim to be Democrats;
but we cannot tell what tricks their lead
ers might put them up to-
Now suppose that in this city of twenty
five voting precincts, few hundred black
voters were to insist upon their right 10
put their ballots into the Democratic box,
and suppose these voters should turn the
result Of the election one way or another
would our Senators and Delegates in the
Legislature feel bound by that result!
And If they repudiated the result so OBJ
tanned would not there be trouble? Again
II blacks be allowed to vote at our sena-
torial primaries might not some men be
encouraged thereby 10 traffic in negro
votes?
Here in Richmond we have never al
lowed the blacks TO vote in our primaries
IT is against our policy. And in the local.
. ties where n contrary rule has been tried
the results have been far from reassuring
we know of instances where from thi:
cause serious breaches in the party have
been occasOned.
In the great white counties Of the Val
ley and Southwest Mr.. Reddy's Law
might work well. There are few blacks
in those communities. Where the OBJ
iectionable dement, is very small, il nigh
dealt with without much trouble, bu
I'm this section Of Virginia the result o
each primary might be absolutely de
terrnined by the votes Of the so-calle'
"colored Democrats"
II the balloting could be viva voce, w
should know exactly how the black vot
was cast, and might be covered accord
ingly; but for us TO have viva VOC
vote might be liable to a constitutional
objection.
Ii occurs TO US that possibly way GU
OF the difficulty might be found by allow
ing each party to furnish the election
officers with certified voting list, ant
. hy providing that no man should be al
loved TO put ballot into the Democrat
box unless his name be found upon tn
Democratic list and none be allowed 4
put his ballot into the Republican boz
unless his name be found upon the Re
n. publican list, etc. Each party committe
might easily make up its list from tn
registration books.
Some little work and some little none
might be required by this plan, but W
think 1t safer and better than that
Mr.. Reddys bill. And we would ais
have a mode Of appeal for all who Nigh
contend that their names had been omit
ted or improperly listed.
Let US canvass this question thoroughly
and we feel sure that in the end we sha
find way 10 accomplish the purpose
view without the danger OF introducin
any Trojan horse into our camp.
The Dispatch has long been pronounce
in favor OF dominating United State
senators by the people. where there
more than one candidate Offering Tha
being our position. We rejoice 10 see Nj
gedcy start the BALI In the matter &
sgtslation And It Is as a friend OF tn
enator.ai primary and as = member c