Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-05-02
FAVOR PRIMARY PLAN
This Thought to Be More Popular
Than Calling a Convention
| Mr.. R|XEY ON MAY MEETING
People for Il, and His District viii
Be Well Represented.
ACTIVE DAY AT THE BUREAU
Many Callers and Great Number of
Letters Received-The Railroads
Give Reduced Rates and Hotels
Are Expected to DO So.
Are Expected to DO So.

Congressman J. f. Rixey, of the Eighth
District, one of the signers of the call,
arrived yesterday, and was at headQuar-
ters several hours during the day and
last night. Mr. Rixey Is warmly in favor
OF the objects of the conference, and says
the Democrats OF his district are very
generally for it. Mr.. Rlxey will return
home to-day.
TALK WITH MR.. RIXEY.
II am here or little visit In the in
terest Of the May conference" said Mr.
Rixey, and because of the interest | feel
in its success. The news here is of the
most gratifying kind. AS to the sentiment
in the northern portion OF the State,
am satisfied that nine tenths of the Demo-
Gratis favor the election Of senator's by
the people, and until a constitutional
amendment can be secured, some pro-
vision for general primary law which
can be used for taking the sense Of the
members of the party as to their choice
for senator.
why should this be Objectionable to
any one?" asked Mr.. Rlxey. The choice
Of the people should prevail. The ma
jority should rule. The primary object In
the selection of members of a legisla-
ture should not be che election of sena-
tor. The Legislature is supposed to re-
fleet the wishes of the people and select
their choice. Why, then, should there be
objection to an expression ny the people
practically an instruction to the Lesisla-
ture? As long as the present system
prevails many members OF the Legislature,
instead of being selected by the people,
will be practically selected by candidates
for the Senate and their friends. This
condition is not for one Legislature only,
but for all, in order that the right mem
bcrs may be in place when wanted.
"Conceding that the Legislature Is as
incorruptible and as competent as the
people to select the senator's" continued
Mr.. Rixey, mo one claims it Is more So
and the people have the superior right.
4 constituency which can be trusted TO
select the President, Governor, Repre-
sentatives, members of the Legislature
and control their local government. should
surely be allowed to express their wishes
as to who should represent them In the
Senate
SOME OF THOSE WHO OPPOSE.
.'Some gentlemen say they have long
records in favor Of the election or sGna-
tors by the people, but, Tearing thlS
movement may be in favor of some con-
ccaled senatorial aspirant, decline to par
ticipate. Others allege they were not con-
suited. their vanity is hurt, and they,
too. decline to participate When VIII
the time come for these gentlemen to
act? Notwithstanding their long records
I'm favor OF the election Of senators by
the people, they have accomplished no
thing towards securing IL, Tor what 90
their records count, II they simply Nouch
for IL. and then use their best efforts TO
delay or defeat any concerted effort look
ing 10 securing the very thing they say
they favor. Others are opposed TO the
change upon principle Their position IS
consistent, and the issue being joined,
can be fought out inside the Democratic
party.
II do not know" concluded Mr.. Rixey,
that the attendance from the Eighth
District will be very large. 1t Will be
representative. 1t Is an exceedingly busy
time with the faTmers-nOne. with the
possible exception of harvest, more so,
You can state, however, that the people
I'm general are in favor Of the movement
to secure the right to-vote for senators"
CALLERS AND LETTERS.
There were many callers at headquar-
ters yesterday, and the mail was very
heavy. Colonel James and Mr.. Reddy,
Congressmen Lamb and Rixey, Mr.. ). s.
l.. Patteson, and Mr.. Cunningham Han
discussed the conference movement at
much length. They were thoroughly well
pleased AT the prospect of a large attend
ance of the best known OF Virginia Dem
Ocrats.
\ feature of the letters now being re-
ceived is that nearly every one is from
man OF prominence in Democratic poll
ties. Heretofore, men who were not IN
politics. men who are content TO be sim
ply voters, have been writing, though
many OF the best-knOwn leaders In the
State have endorsed the movement For
the last day or two. however, nearly all
the letters received have been from men
known as leaders.
AGAINST A CONVENTION.
A strong reaction mi sentiment seems
TO have taken place as regards the propo-
sition TO nominate d candidate by cOnYen-
ton. Everybody seems TO have favored
originally the nomination of candidate
by the primary method. More recently
the pIOpOSillOu " S'lcSl a ~
means OF a convention has been adj
vanced. At first, the proposition seemed
TO meet with quite general favor. More
recently, however there have been ex-
tremely strong objections TO this method
expressed in letters and by callers at
headquarters II is believed the confer
ence will not endorse the convention me-
thod OF making a nomination.
Indeed the opinion was expressed by
one OF the leaders OF the movement last
night that the conference would not
even ask the State Committee to call
for the purpose of ordering
primary.
II do not think II necessary" he said.
sThis conference can perfect State or
That organization can have
in every county In the State,
and can induce county committees to
order primaries. l merely suggest this.
| have not the remotest idea OF how the
conference will ac'. Nothing has been
cut and dried Nobody knows what will
be done"
REDUCED RATES.
All the railroads in Virginia. including
the Atlantic and Danville. The Chesa-
peake and Ohio, the Norfolk and Western.
the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Poto-
g9c. the seab9aTd Air;tIael aud tRs