Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-05-03
cu,xcr ron , GREAT DEBATE.

EN-tOngreSsmdn Harry Iuth'I piNi'4S
a senatorial nomination made by State
contention of our party. Attorney-Gene-
raj Montague thinks county and city pri-
mary elections would be the best method
that We could adopt.
In our opinion just there the great de-
bate in the May meeting will occur.
There is nothing else OF Importance for
the meeting to divide upon. 1t is agreed
on all hands. we believe. that the meet
ing should urge the adoption Of a change
in the Federal Constitution so that sena-
tors in Congress shall be elected by direct
vote of the people. And we may be quite
sure that the Richmond meeting will
adopt the suggestion Of the meeting of
Gloucester Democrats and recommend
that such change in the Constitution
be made plank in the next ma
tional Democratic platform.
That done. the next thing in order will
be for the May meeting to adopt course
of action with reference to nominating
senatorial candidates by "some popular
method" We believe the great majority
of the Democrats OF Virginia would vastly
prefer to anything else a state primary
election: caucus, as it were, of all the
Democratic voters Of the Old Dominion,
but to effect that end our state Demo
cratic Committee would first have TO be
convened. That might consume a month
Then the State Committee would have TO
decide whether it would call a convention
or not Then, If its decision were favor
9ble. there would have 10 be another
halt while counties and cities were elect
Ing their delegates TO the State cOnven-
tion. as it has been deemed necessary
hitherto to have at least two county
courts intervene between the date of the
call and the date for the assembling of a
State convention.
furthermore. until the convention was
assembled the candidates for the senator
ship would be hampered, If not alto
gether halted in their canvass.
Public convenience would be suited by
taking primary vote at the time and
places when the votes for members of the
Legislature were cast but there may be
party reasons why 1t would not be good
policy TO have two such contests in pro-
gress at one and the same time. If there
are valid objections against a State pri-
mary election coincident with the Novem-
? Der election, then there are only two
other methods 10 accomplish the purpose
IN view, viz.
/. Nomination by a State convention.
as Harry Tucker proposes as his pre-
ference.
3 Separate local primaries, as Mr.
Montague suggests.
The latter plan would have the advan-
tage of allowing the canvass of the sena-
torial candidates TO be launched at once
1t may be presumed that the candidates
would announce themselves forthwith
and take the field in person, and that in
each city and county an organization
would be formed to urge the county or
city committee TO order a primary. IL
the committee consented, the sense OF tho
people Of that community might be accu
rately ascertained with reference TO the
senatorship and the subject satisfactorily
disposed Of. II. however, the city or
county committee refused TO order pri-
mary there could be no appeal from It's
decision.
1t could hardly be expected that every
one Of our cities and counties would order
primary: but II public sentiment in Vir-
ginia be what we suppose 1t is the great
majority of county and city committees
would meet the wishes OF their brother
Democrats.
A state convention would meet the OBJ
lection OF lack OF uniformity. and the en-
tire State almost, would be represented
IN f.; but. on the other hand. II would
throw BACK the canvass OF the candidates.