Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-08-13
LET PEOPLE DECIDE
An Address to the Virginia
Democratic Voters
BY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Of the League for Reform In EisCI'
Ing Senator'S.
MAY CONFERENCE DECLARATIONS
The state Democratic Central Com
mittee CritIcised-Charges Touch
ing "snnp" Primaries and "snnp''
ConventionS-A Warning.
MAY CONFERENCE DECLARATIONS

The Executive Committee Of the Demo |
cratic League for Reform I'm the Election
OF United States Senators have issued the |
following address:
To the Democratic Voters OF Virginia:
one Of the gravest questions which has |
enlisted the interest of thoughtful and
patriotic citizens Of the American Union
during the present generation has been
the importance of a change in the mode
Of selecting United States senators.
When the method now embodied In the
Constitution was engrafted upon that in
strument by It's trainers, and for nearly
half a century thereafter, the legislatures
of the several States were well-nigh po-
tential in tho control Of the country
and they were truly representative of the
people Of the several States under the
conditions which then prevailed The
legislatures not only chose the senators,
but for many years they chose the cleo
tors for President and Nice-Presdent.
The existing method Of elecung sena-
tors IS the last remaining vestige of the
almost exclusive supremacy of the Legis-
lature. and, as has been truly said, is en-
tirely out Of accord with the broad ana
| liberal extension of the elective franchise
now everywhere prevailing.
Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, and
their nlustrious successors In office for
wears were chosen 70 the office Of Cow
ernor by the Virginia legislature ana
| similar mode Of selection was in vogue
in other States. At that period II Wou'u
have been simply impossible for such
men as Marcus \. Hanna, OF ONO
Thomas c. Platt, Of New York, and Ma
thew Stanley Quay. Of Pennsylvania 10
have been made members Of that BODY
During the winter just past there were
| n dozen or more senators chosen, ana III
| nearly every instance the chief distinc-
tion of the person selected was that he
| was either himself a man OF enormous
| wealth. or the representative OF Sredl
corporate interests.
OF these Mr.. Chauncey NJ Depew' the
| president and representative OF one u
| the great railroad systems Of our Coun-
| try. is perhaps one of the best. lie WILL
doubtless. before taking his seat res .sn
| his railroad presidency, ana PROV 10y
1 sever his connection with the vast coilDl-
nation OF interests which he has so long
4
hut would IL be safe 20 leave TO MS ue-
| cision any question which may arise De-
twoon the uoople and the great corporate
| interests with which he has been so long
| identified? A..
Occurrences such as these, and the
| scanda1s which I'm connection with TIE Sc
| Lection of senators I'm a number OF states
have been a reproach TO the Am. IN
neople have served TO arouse profound
| interest in this subject in almost every
| portion of our country.
THE MAY CONFERENCE.
w tie 10Th of May last large and
ror~..crtative body of Virginia Demo-
lIcrat, met in the city Of Richmond 10
give their sanction and support 10 'ne
| great movement for reform IN the meIhou
of the election of United States senator's.
The character and the action OF that
,oet,n,- and the EXPIRE ssions given before
and since it's assembling to the sentiments
~ tho neople upon that question, demon
strate that great majority Of the Demo-
cr,tic VOTERS of Virginia are IN ACCORD
v,itb the principles and the policy adVo-
cared bv what has now become hho"h
ms THE May Conference 100000
int conference unanimously declared
tbst asa the people are the source Oh al
noyver they were entitled TO elect thelr
senators. and that therefore the fedeiai
Constitution should be so amended 'A"I
United States senators should De c.o.s 80
lac Inc direct vote of the people OF me
several states lhs'e"u VI ~
lures thereof. -
III conference also declared that pend.
! To- ia, adoption Of such constitutional
amendments, it favored the nomination
- orr party candidates for the United
etates Senate by state primary elections
and advocated the legislation necessary
To legahze such primaries. 49,,
| The conference also called upon the
Democratic voters Of each legislative dis
trict 10 nominate no man -jr me GeAc4di
Assembly unless he favored the above
enunciated principles, and would pledge
himself 10 support for the United states
senate a candidate who is the open ana
uneouivocal advocate Of those prlncl-
pies. a.. 90
one Of these principles-namely' the Sc
lection OF the candidate or the Deillo-
cratic party for the United states senate
hy the direct votes of the Democrats III
general primary-has beeh s,e"uil - -
| and persistently resisted by those VINO
have opposed the popular selection Oh
| senators.
rwo wears ago in the State Democratic
| Convention at Roanoke. a resolution pro-
v,ding for a Democratic state senatorial
,rimarv was defeated upon specious
Srounds Subsequently a bill providing
Tor legalizing party primaries for the
nomination OF senators and other officers
u,hich was introduced in the last Legis-
lature. was defeated.
STATE COMMITTEES ACTION.
| Again. pursuant TO the request Of the
| Nav conference. an earnest appeal was
made To the State Democratic Central
| committee 10 give the Democratic voters
If the state an opportunity 10 express
| fbetr choice tor a United States senator
10 be chosen at the approaching session
| of the LEGISLATURE either by general
marty primary or by party convention
duiv chosen. This reasonable and just
demand was cooily rejected by the vote'
Of majority OF the committee Without
deianing To give any reason for their &C
ltiOn.
since that occurrence events OF a start
! tire character have taken place In con
noctton with the nomination Of Demo
cratic candidates for the General Assem-
hlv In some Of the counties and cities ol
| The state. which indicate settled pur
nose on the part OF majority Of those
vino have been temporarily entrusted
with the party management In those To-
cali,ies TO prevent and suppress any tai