The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-04-14
FRIDAY, APRIL II, lsss'
FRAUD THE SENATORIAL PRI-
MARY.


We take the following from the Ports
mouth star:
At what does that movement lsenato-
rial urinary cOnvention) aim According
To the proclamation with which IL start
ed. If aims only at taking measures 10
secure the election Of United states aehd-
tors by The people. IL is not limited 10
the state OF Virginia, but has as its OBJ
iec(ive the whole of the United states
senate and the whole of the United
States Ia that view OF the case there Is
certainly nothing 10 justify the oppose
ton 10 it even on the score or primaries
not being forced upon unwilling couh-
tics Richmond Times
From this il is gathered that The Times
believes that senatorial primary would
give US senators chosen by the people
~ We are right I'm supposing The 1lnes
thus sanguine. We have 10 ask UPON What
IL bases a hope at once 80 Improbable
and so bright?
IA tbis matter the Star IS seeking after
light n haply IL may hnd o.
The principle embodied IN the so-called
senatorial primary plan IS above argu-
ment and beyond suspicion. But there
are election laws IN Virginia designed 20
defeat. and do defeat. the will OF the peo-
PIE in the choice Of Senators, as wen "a
In other directions.
M Times. as a matter of course. knows
Of these election laws and The Times IS
We take il. familiar as 20 their practical
workings. This being so. whore, then
arc the pcople bettered I'm voting directly
for lrnited States senators, rather than IN
directly through their representatives ID
the legislature. seeing that IN both IN
stancea they vote under election laws
which are capable OF giving "a nT iority to
any man regardless Of the number or
votes cast for the other fellow
These inquiries are seriously put. we
feel sure that The Times VIII answer
them-if II can. For once. We want 70 sc
the voting precincts OF Virginia fairly
honestly represent the will ~ her citi-
zcns II by n senatorial primary, held
under existing conditions this can be
done then In the namo OF decency, let
II be done. and quickly II, however. II
be found I'm politics as In physics. that
Won cannot swcoten the water OF inc
stream by clearing processes had ~ us
mouth. then let's away with halt-
handed reasurcs-chlld's play-and hke
sensible men get AZ the fountain head oil
Virrinia's political troubles-her foul cleo
ficn laws.
The Times is forced 20 admit mat trSuo7
I'm our elections have become 50 much
The rule in some parts Of Virginia that
there IL no assurance that the primary
election will give as the party's cand-
date that man for whom the people nave
declared We have been cheating negroes
so lone that the nanipulators OF tho bal
LOT boxes will feel strongly impelled 70
try their arts in the primary election OF
senator. even though the exercise VIII
be upon the white brethren. That is tho
curse and misfortune OF toleradng fraud
The man who will cheat is as ready to
cheat friend as foe. Tie Is no rcspecter of
persons. When men accustom themselves
20 tolerating fraud. all reverence for hon
es,y and uprightness ends ana tho OPP
portunity Is all that Is sought,
But the primary election OF senator
would be exclusively amongst the white
people. and We apprehend that the ballot
boxes would be very differently watched
from the way IN which they are watched
when the negroes vote Nirgnians are
not a people prone 20 surrender their
rights. and we should expect 10 see
good deal OF vigilance az the polls In the
primary. IN the iuiei u'0N'N'Ss p"iNN"
larry, Il will be pretty well known be-
fore the election what strength each can
dldate has and il will not be very
healthy atmosphere for the party MA
nipulstor who makes the ballot box pro-
ducs another result.
But even II there is cheating. il VIII he
the most valuable Of object lessons 10
the people OF the State. II Will show
them 10 what the admitted principle
necessarily leads II viii show them
that such principle. once conceded
must finally corrupt every department OF
public service and turn government into
a mockery and a sham