Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-06-11
SONDAY...........JUNE IL, 1890.


Tomorrow evening the State Central
Committee Of the Democratic party OF
Virginia will meet here 10 give hear
ing 10 a committee representing the May
conference In brief. II will be asked TO
call a state convention 10 consider mat
ters pertaining to the nomination aud
election Of senators in Congress.
IL will be for the state Committee TO
decide % whether it has the authority to
call State convention. and, 2) if so,
whether the facts presented would justify
1t in doing so in this case.
As to the general proposition that the
State Committee has the right 10 call a
convention when. in its opinion, the inte-
rests of the party demand 1t, th4re ought
not to ~ two opinions. In no other way
could a State convention be convened
To deal with cmergent questions. The
party might suffer irreparable injury If
State conventions only could be held at
the stated times which custom has es-
tablished. We, therefore. take il that our
state Committee Will hold that it has
power in the premises. But 1t may hold
though We think IL ought not to-that It
cannot call a convention for the purpose
indicated, because that question was set
tied by the Roanoke convention
The Dispatch has frequently said it
could see how the State Committee might
declare that State convention is not
advisable at this time; but that it could
not see how any action Of the Roanoke
convention could be quoted as forbiddng
the idea OF a senatorial nomination by a
STATE convention. What the Roanoke
convention did was % TO put a plank IN
its platform settling who should be our
next nominee, and CD 10 strike out of the
report OF the Committee on Resolutions
a plank committing our party 90 the NOM
ination of senators by primary elections.
In one instance its action was positive;
I'm the other, ii was negative. So that.
as adopted the Roanoke platform was
silent as 10 methods. but it was clear
distinct, and emphatic as 10 its choice
for the next nominee. And we are bound
To believe that that plank was as bind
ing as any other plank in the platform.
resolution was not binding because that
subject was not embraced IN the call fOr
the convention. Neither was a sena-
tQNai primary one Of the subjects en-
braced in the call. II the convention had
no right 10 settle who the next nominee
should be because that subject was not
embraced In the call. then it had IN right
TO render judgment against senatorial
primaries. because that subject was not
embraced in the call.
While custom and party usage should
always have due weight with a State
convention, it will not do TO hold that the
action Of State convention must be
circumscribtd by the terms Of the com
mittee's call. TO do so would be 10 con-
sent that a state convention might be
fettered by the committee. As a matter
Of fact. many OF our state conventions
have gone outside OF the limitations. -
so 10 speak, OF the calls under which
they were assembled. In adopting a
platform convention must, ana will,
have free rein.
While We would prefer TO see oar sena-
tors nominated at state primaries. we
doubt II there Is now left sufficient time
TO put such system into working ope-
ration for this occasion. The next best
thing would be 10 call state convention
Such a convention might pass another
such resolution as the Roanoke conven-
ton passed, or it might actually ballot for
q senatorial nominee. or IL might
otherwise dispose OF the subject.
However, 1t seems foresone conclusion
that "a convention will not be called
In that event. IA will but remain for the
friends OF reform In the nomination and
election of senators 20 ask each county
and city constituency TO secure express
eions OF preference as 20 candidates.
Everything cannot be done at once.
First the people must be Informed and
aroused. That will take time Much
has been done IN Virginia already and
more may be expected, OF one thing
We may be sure and this s. that the
movement in favor Of the popular nomi-
natas ssd eiscsOn Of ssn.a,ors Wv grow