Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-04-20
. GoLDES OPPORTUNITY.

The Danville Register says it "'is glad
20 note that the the Richmond Dispatch,
the ablest advocate of the conference TO
be held here May 10TH has recognized at
last that tho movement must not be en-
tangled with personal aspirations, and has
warned the conference against nominating
or endorsing a candidate
The words we have quoted from the
Register Occur In an article i'm which our
contemporary disclaim5 opposition to
popular elections Of United states sena-
tors" but contends that the present move
mcnt is designed TO advance personal
interests. This. we believe, is fair
statement in brief Of the Registers posi-
ton.
The Registers reference TO the Dis
patch. however is so worded that it, is
capable Of producing a wrong impression.
our contemporary says that the Dispatch
has recognized at last that the move
mcnt must not be entangled with personal
aspirations We acguit the Register of
any intention to render us liable. to mis-
construction, but would say to it that our
record on the question of senatorial cleo
tons by the people and senatorial prima-
ries shows that from the beginning Of the
agitation OF that question we have recog-
nized that the great principle involved
should not be entangled with or vitated
by the element of personal aspiration
The callers OF the conference set forth
that il was called for
THE purpose of adopting such measures
as may be deemed best to promote the
election of the senators of the United
States by the direct vote OF the people,
and until that result Is accomplished. the
selection of party senatorial candidates
by some popular method.
Here. in our view, the signers Of the
document turned their backs on all sug-
gestions that personal considerations
would, or could. have any standing in the
conference. Here the way was barred
against the entrance of personal aspira-
tons. And this view is accentuated by
the resolution of the Southampton meet
ing, which meeting assembled at the in
stance OF five OF the signers Of the con-
ference call. from that section. That
resolution declared it TO be the sense Of
the meeting that the conference in Rich
mond should not be for OF against any
candidate. but strictly for the advance
ment OF great cause. dearer to the peo-
pie than any man or men.
The paragraph We reproduce from the
conference call crystallizes a principle the
Dispatch has long advocated, and for
that reason, and that alone. we endorsed
the movement for the May gathering
The Southampton resolution contains the
essence of all tho duty Of the conference
as the Dispatch saw II when the call was
issued, sees it now, and had seen it
whenever anticipating that the movement
would. at some time. take practical shape.
We regret. exceedingly, that the per-
sonal aspiration question has been drag
ged into the discussion Of this issue Or
rather, we should say. We regret that it
has been made an issue on which with
some the triumph Of the principle threat
ems TO go or And certainly we do
not propose 10 discuss the issue except in
its broades, sense-that is TO say. except
rs divorced from personalities In the spe-
ciflc meaning of the term. We have only
TO DO with the issue in SO far as discus
sion OF 1t Is sermane 10 tho question
whether the conference can or will so be-
You'd the purposes for which 1t has been
called.
We DO not believe. and have never be-
llevcd. that there is the slightest danger
OF an attempt OH the part OF the May
gathering To make nomination. with
due Difference to our contemporaries who
think differently. we are OF opinion that
the declaration Of the callers Of the con-
ference as 10 its purposes puts the for
mer absolutely on the defensive as to this
matter. Further, we are of opinion that,
considering the history Of the passage OF
the Southampton resolution. that resolu-
tion renders their position still more un-
tenable. II possible Our distrustfu con-
ItemgorarrS without exception. as far as