The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-03-03
SUBSCRIPTION PRICE.
SENATORIAL PRIMARIES.

Five or six counties have already held
conventions to elect delegates to the
State convention. So far as we have OBJ
served, in none of them was the question
of a Senatorial primary presented to the
convention or taken under consideration,
delegates without instruction. Today
State Chairman Simmons, in pursuance
of the resolution passed by the State
Executive Committee, will address let
ter to the chairman in every county in
the State calling their attention to the
resolution favoring a senatorial primary
and requesting them to bring the matter
to the voters at the several county con-
ventions.
There are many reasons why the sue
cessor to the Sampson Senator should be
selected by a primary to be held on the
day that Congressman and Presidential
electors are chosen. The first reason is
that it would eliminate the Senatorial
question: from the August elecion--a
consmnmation deyoutly to be wished.
The ratification of the amendment is the
paramount question in North Carolina
greater than silver, greater than imperial
ism, greater than the governorship, the
senatorShip or the presidency. If the
Constitution had permitted. IT would have
been submitted at an election when no
he. T1n@ u
OF amending the Constitution being in
Inhibited by the Constitution, the Legisla-
ture changed the next regular, general
election" to August In order to separate
IT'S consideration from questions of ma
tional moment. The Senator is a mem
Der of Congress, and should be selected
when national questions are discussed
and when members of the House are
chosen. Aside from that, the over
shadoWing Importance of adopting the
amendment makes it desirable to post
pone the divisions and differences Incl
dent to a contest for that great Office
until after the amendment has been rati-
fled. The party needs to have no diver
sion by which the friends Of rival seIa-
torial candidates via be moving heaven
and earth to get pledged legislators NOM
mated and elected IN 1894 the dissen-
torial fights in the counties was one of
the causes of Democratic defeat. If we
will learn wisdom by experience, we VII
say to senatorial candidates and their
friends: Postpone your ambitions until
White Supremacy is assured, and then
submit your claims to primary of Dem
ocrats. Then your candidacy will net
hurt the party or endanger the amend
ment. And may the best man win"
The Legislature ought to be composed
of the best men in the State-men chosen
because of their ability and high chat
acter. When there is hot senatorial
contest for Legislative nominations, the
danger is that the question of a mans
preference for Senator will be allowed to
have more weight than his fitness to leg
islate. A legislator ought not to be made
merely an agent of a faction in the party
he ought to be chosen to legislate, and
IN the matter of voting for Senator to be
the agent of the whole party to carry
out an expressed trust. That makes him
independent, free from the influences of
favoritisn, and removes him from IL
struggle for office that hampers him in
the discharge of his Senatorial duties.
There are four distinguished North
Carolinians, whose names have been
mentioned In connection with the sena-
torship. They have stated, at one time
or another, that they would not press
their candidacy until after the amend
ment was ratified. This being so, it is
necessary to have primary at the No
vember election to let the people pass
upon their claims and nominate the best
man. A Legislature might choose the
best and most popular man, and in North
Carolina the rule has been that it has
done so. But the best way to insure the
selection Of the man desired by major
ity OF the people is to let every Demo
cratic voter deposit directly and without
any intermediary a ballet for the man
for Senator who is his choice. That
gives to every voter an equal voice with
every other voter, and leaves no ground
for dissatisfaction,
Let us have Senatorial primary. The