Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-11-11
THE PRIMARY SYSTEM.
The State Press is Antsgonzizlus
Its Adoption.
The PARTY is COMMITTED,
The Democratic State Convention neeom-
mended Adoption of the system by the
legislature a Great Majority or Demo-
Gratis in the state Disguised with shs
Innovation in North Carolina Politics,
(From the Raleigh Post

The State press is deyoting much
space to this subject. and the friends
OF the primary system are few and far
between, The Senatorial primary.
which plunged the State Democracy
into ferment, has far less supporters.
than 1t had when the Democratic State
Convention met here last April.
That convention recommended that
its representatives in the Legislature
legalize primaries in the State, and In y
so doing the following language ives
embodied In the Democratic State
platform:
I'VE favor the enactment of laws by
the next General Assembly providing
for the holding of primary elections for
the nc nnation OF Stale and county
and Congressional officers,
Many of the very Democrats who
were most enthusiastic for the pri-
mary are now hostile to the scheme az
ter a single trial. The average DEM
ocrat does not hesitate to condemn tho
recent primary, and practically 80 per
cent. of Democratic voters express
their opposition to the adoption of this
new innovation in North Carolina poll
tiles.
The question of adopting the primary
Legislature this winter The party Is
committed to the primary, and it villa
| be interesting TO see what the Legis-
lature will do with the question,
a number of State papers have de-
| ciared themselves against the primary
| system since Tuesday.
| The Post gives an idea this morning
of what the press is saying on the subs
| ject.
The Asheville Citizen, the leading
! says:
"In the white light of results the Citi-
zen has no hesitation in saying that
the crowd responsible for the sena-
| torial primary in North Carolina either
had tile disruption of the Democratic
party in view or had not the political
sagacity to see the inevitable result OF
| their action"
The Kinston Free Press, an eastern
| paper, says:
The Free Press hopes that the Dem.
| ocrats OF North Carolina viii forget
| their differences and come together
| Let the friends of Simmons and the
! friends of Carr be as good friends as
| they have ever been. and let's have no
more Democratic primary elections.
The Free Press is opposed to, Demo-s
| cratic primary elections hereafter 1t
arouses too much feeling between Dem-
ocrats and affords too much pleasy1ra
to Republicans"
The Greensboro Record says:
The Record has had no hankerings
after South Carolina methods espec-
! tally the Senatorial primary business
| Democrats in North Carolina have
| about as much as they can do to fight
! Republicans without fighting each
| other"
The Wilmington Dispatch. endorsing
! the primary, says:
THE Senatorial primary is thing OF
! the past. There are plenty OF people
who still call it good thing. The res
cords and regulations of the candidates
| have been aired. but this would have
! been true If the Legislature had made
| tie choice. The newspapers have had
n bad time of 1t, but that was because
| they were unused to primaries. and
didn't know how to handle the things
next time they will do better The
people at large have enjoyed the prt-
mary, IL has been educational to them.
II has led them to weigh the merits OF
| the respective candidates, to study
their past achievements and to este
| mate their capacity for future useful-S
ness. They know more about the
states public men than they ever
would have known without the pri~
| mary. They have felt the power of
the ballot more. In g word this gov
eminent is by the people originally and
it Is always Well to return to first prin~
ciples."
The Salisbury Sun says:
Democrats are disgusted with the
| senatorial primary III one is 10 Judge
! from the expression of the crowd at
the courthouse last night
we Waiit HO moro oeTAtOEtdi pre- B
maries. said Congressman Kluttg. sAle
who want another one please say IL
| Nobody spoke. All who don't want
another say no. said Mr., Kluttz, and
| the vote was Unanimous
The Chatham Record, of which MajoE
| ri, n. London is editor, says.
The lesson taught and the exper.
fence gained by our Senatorial primary
| will not add to the popularity OF th9
lesalized primary, 1t is now very
| doubtful whether the Legislature will
pass bin to establish legalised nri-
! certain" t8s
The Carthage Blade says editorially:
1t is a matter of cqngratulation to
| the Democratic narty that the needless
campaign for the Senatorship is oyer.
Let the primary system end with it
! The people clamored for 1t and now
they are satisfied, and more-they are
| disguised. The candidates were all
! excellent men and either of them would
| be credit in the Senate of the United
states. RTcNthe selection would have
| been just as wisely done by the Lesis-
lature and with much less fuss and
| friction.
! The idea of the primary. no doubt.
| was imported from South Caroline,
and when we remember the fierce and
| within the ranks OF the pemecratic
marty every recurring election our peo-
| pie. ought to have foreseen the dis
! tastes and danger of such thing
within our ranks. The nomlnation OF
the candidate by the State Convention
and put uppp7the ticket for election
like other candidates might lie an acc
| 1f wisdona; but such performance as
has just been closed is the part OF fool-
/ ishness. While it purpcrted to he thu
| business OF the Democrats only, no
doubt 1t was participated Ia by Renub-
| licans and Fopulists. Ii oyefshadowed