Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-02-20
PRIMARY BILL AGAIN.
THE SENATE DEvoTEs CONSIDER
ABLE TIME TO 1T.
| LIVELY DEBATE YESTERDAY.
Senators Flanagan and Barksdnie
speak on the Mensure--The Discus
sion VIII he Closed wednesday-A
Number OF Bills Passed.

speech against Il begun Friday, ana MI
Barksdale closing for II. The bill wen
over until Wednesday. when Mr.. FLOOD
will close the debate in speech agains
It,
A large number Of spectators heard tn
debate yesterday. which was probably
the most entertaining Of the session. the
speech OF Mt. Barksdale making de-
cided hit. Consideration OF the BIZ was
begun when Mr.. wicisham concluded his
speech on the Appropriation bill at lib
MR.. FLANAGAN'S SPEECH.
Mr.. Flanagan began his speech by pay
ing compliments to the speakers who
were TO follow him, and TO the number OF
ladies behind the bar whom he informed
that they would soon have the pleasure
Of listening 20 the SENATOR from Halifax
little Cupid" as it was the pleasure Of
his friends 70 call him. Referring to the
defeat Of FitzhGgh Lee for election to
the Senate, he said, were It possible 70
call him from his station in Cuba now
there was no assurance that he couid
be sent TO the Senate were he candidate
against him. He commended 10 Senator
Barksdale the example of Senator Wick
ham. who had said he was not ashamed
of having once been Republican. he
paid a beautiful tribute TO General VIII
liams c. Wickham, and said the Sena-
Tor from Hanover was "the noble son OF
noble sire"
MR.. BARKSDALE'S ADDRESS.
Mr.. Barksdale followed Mr. Flanagan.
He said he hoped Il would be understood
that he was thoroughly ashamed Of having
been even remotely connected with the
Republican party. but that when ne was
Il was infinitely more respectable than
now: that even when he was with 1t the
party was not respectable enough TO APP
preciate Williams c. Wickham, and he
never had his partys confidence. why,
Mr.. President the negroes of old Halifax
are getting so respectable they vote the
Democratic ticket. and I want 10 tell the
Senator from Powhatan, that when this
wave Of responsibility reaches his district
there's going 10 be a Democrat in his
seat" daughter and applause0
"Why. sir" continued Mr. Barksdale'
'the Republican party in Virginia last
year was split all to pieces, and the mem
bers Of the factions were cutting each
others threats over nothing in the world
except the $4,000 Mark Hanna had sent
down here TO corrupt the voters or VIZ
ginia. prolonged applause) 1 believe |
the Senator from Powhatan TO be gen.
tleman. but want TO say right here that |
no is in awfuly bad company ZAP |
plause)
THE ONLY TWO OBJECTIONS.
Mr.. Barksdale said That objections TO
he law made by Senators Boykin and
Nickham could be narrowed down 10
wo-unconstitutionality and the color or
he ballots He had no objection 70
having Democratic ballots red; ne did OBJ
ect to making the Populists' green; he
vas willing TO have the Republican as
lack as Hades.
So far as the primary plan OF selecting
candidate being in the direction Of sena-
orial representation based upon popula-
ion was concerned Mr. Barksdale said
be idea was ridiculous. The plan OF the
III only gave to the people a method OF
hoosing a candidate and binding the
legislature to send their choice to the
enate.
GREAT MEN NOT ALL DEAD.
Abiding to the eulogies pronounced
pom the members of the convention
1hich framed the Federal Constitution.
fr. Barksdale said:
Il think much Of this talk ridiculous.
Why, many OF the men who were in that
werN never heard Of before,
nd have long been forgotten. The
peeches OF many of them were poorer
han the average heard IN the Virginia
legislature"
He read extracts from the Madison pa
'ers showing that the father of the Con-
titution favored electing senators by
iopular vote.
Mr.. Barksdale alluded TO the "damna-
lie trick" which Mr.. Boyllin had spoken
" In his speech against the bill, where
~ ne had been sent to the Roanoke
instructed. when he was in
erruptei by Mr.. Blakey who said Mr..
3oykin HAD meant the instructions OF
lis people to vote for Senator Daniel,
Is candidate for Senator.
Mr.. + iOOd interrupted Mr.. Barksdale
~ saying he (Mr Barksdale) knew Mr..
3oykn meant there was a trick in in
itructing him to vote for the primary
Ian at the Roanoke convention. Mr..
5arksdale said he ha0 not understood
he Senator from Isle OF Wight to mean
Iuch. Mr.. Mason thought as the Sena-
or from Isle of Wight was absent, the
Senator should not address his remarks
o him.
SOMEBODY ELSE WAS DANCING.
Mr.. Barksdale made some very
Imuslng illusions TO the trainers OF the
and passed on TO the ar
suments of Mr. Morris. that personal
motives OF others were behind this plan,
abiding TO the charge Of the Senator
rom Albemarle that the wires were
,eing pulled from Washington, and that
he author Of this primary bill was
lsncing. He said other wires were also
icing pulled from Washington, and that
he Senator from Albemarle was a far
more accomplished cancer than he was.
A pplause)
He alluded again TO the greatness of
he men OF the past as compared 70
hose Of more recent days and said he
elieved with all his soul that Robert
J. Lee WAS a greater man than George
and William Jennings
ryan, who advocated the primary me-
bod OF choosing senators. was greater
4 all that makes great and good men,
han the majority Of those in the Con-
titutional Convention. The speaker con-
luded with an anecdote that caused
luch laughter.
MIR. FLOOD AGAINST TT.
Mr.. Flood followed Mr.. BarksGale. He
aid he did not regard this as a question
4 which persons and political parties
Yere chiefly concerned. IL was of prime
Importance to the people of Virginia and
he United States He regretted that the
iscussion had been made personal He
egretted that the name Of the Con-
ressman from the First District and
he Junior Senator from Virginia had
cen dragged into the discussion.
Mess-s. Morris and Blakey interrupted
I'm by explaining their positions. Tne
,rr,,a.. cof1 Ia bod nofhfuo hpf the hiph. |