The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-01-18
TIE REDDY EIII

Congress.
The bin IS designed to meet all OBJ
jcctions TO the Senatorial primary plan
about which 50 much has been said Of
late 10 hold a primary IT would be ne
cessary to incur considerable expense.
and that has been one of the stumbling
blocks in the way OF this plan and one
which has given the friends Of the meas
IRE no little trouble. Mr.. Reddy pro-
poses TO eliminate that question by having
the people vote for Senatorial nominees
at regular state election.
The bill provides IN general terms that
whereve: one hundred voters OF a coun-
Is, or three hundred OF a city. such voters
being Of the same political party. shall
file a petition with the clerk Of the
county or corporation court, as the case
may be, at least sixty days before an
election to be held for members Of the
General Assembly which Is 10 elect
Senator I'm Congress. praying that the
voters Of that party may have an OPP
portunity at said election TO express their
Of United States Senator the judge OF
the court In which tho petition shall be
filed shall. within a period of ten days
enter an order requiring tho election Of
hcers at each precinct in the county or
city I'm question to receive and deposit I'm
ballot boxes set apart FOR that purpose
the votes Of all members Of such POLITE
cal party who shall be entitled to vote
on this question.
II will be observed that such primaries
will be a natter of local option, as under
this provision no county or city will vote
for United States Senator except upon pc
tition as aforesaid.
1T will be observed also that while an
political parties in the State will be per-
mittod thus TO express their choice. each
party must act for itself and file its
own petition. IT is further provided that
there shall be separate ballot boxes for
each party, and in order TO distinguish
between them the several boxes shall be
Of different colors.
As 20 qualification OF voters. fl is pro-
vided first, that no person shall be allow
ed to vote for Senator unless he also
vote for members Of the Legislature, and
each elector must vote, if he vote at
all for Senator for some senatorial can
idate who is Of the same political party
as himself.
As TO the test it is provided that an
elector shall be deemed TO belong to that
party for the nominee of which he voted
at the last preceding Congressional cleo
ton and If ne did not vote at that cleo
ton. he shall b. deemed to belong TO that
party for whose nominees hc voted at
any previous Congressional election. IL
the elcctor shall not before that time
have been qualified TO vote, he shall be
entitled to vot, for candidate named by
the persons belonging TO the party to
which he shall claim 90 belong
After setting forth how the ballots
shall be received and counted. it IS final
~ provided that the officers OF election
i'm conducting the voting for Senatorial
candidates and in asccrtainine aud return
ing the results shall be subject to the
penalties prescribed by law for such Of
ficors in conducting the regular election.
Such are the main provisions Of the
bin. and it is hardly necessary TO soy
that The Times is in fun sympathy with
its spirit and the object to be accom-
plshed. We believe that Senators in
Congress should be chosen by direct vote
OK the people. but as that is prohibited
by the constitution Of the United States,
we believe that the next best thing Is to
give the people an opportunity OF oy-
pressing their sentiments az the polls
with reference to the men whom they
would have To serve them. II this
course shall b. adopted by individual
States Of the Union. or by a large per-
ccntage of them. members of the Senate
will soon see that the people are going
TO take a hand in their election and this
will result ultimately I'm a constitutional
amendment making Senators in Congress
elective by popular vote. SO that the
primary plan and the plan proposed by
Alr. Rcddy and all such plans arc but
the initiatcry steps towards tho final re-
suit. which we believe is so much 10 he
desired.
We do rot deny that the bill Is open to
objections. one OF the chiofcst OF which.
in our opinion. being thai it opens the
door to fraud by dickering with the negro
vote. whereas under the primary plan the
negro would not participate in the cleo
tlon.
But We incline TO the opinion that Mr..
Rcddys plan is the most practical in
sight, and. in the absence OF anything
better. we shall be very glad to see It
passed. It will certainly give TO the
people Of each city and county in the
State the opportunity TO express their
choice IL this matter. and to instruct their
representatives in the Legislature. as far
as they may. as TO how they shan vote
for Senators in Congress.
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The Indiana man who proposes 10 bot
lie sunshine al SO per bottle may be
charged with an infringement Oh the K