The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-08-09
None but White Democrats
Allowed to Participate.
LOCAL AUTHORITIES
MUST CHANGE PLAN
Only Ten Of the Fifteen Members -of
the State Central Committee Present
In Person. and Secret Session
Heid-Commlttee Refuses to
Adopt Resolution Requiring At
tendance Of Majority

The Democranu State Central Conn
mittee met yesterday at noon at Murphy's
Hotel, and adopted resolutions annullins
the action Of the Tenth District Senate
rial Committee In providing for prt-
mary not In accordance with tho Demo-
cratic patty plan OF primaries.
There were just ten OF the dtty mem-
bers OF the committee on hand and four
Of these were from the Third District.
The other SIX represented the remaining
Nine districts Of the State. Several Of
the members had proxies which had been
diligently collected in anticipation OF q
contest in the meeting, the impre ssion
having gotten abroad in some quarters
that the State primary plan and It's per-
petuity would be possible issues.
AS 1t was, the meeting which was a
secret session. was rather tame affair.
the substance of the action taken being
q mere construction Of the plain language
of tho primary plan that all elections
held hereunder must be viva voce and
that only regis tered white Democrats are
eligible to vote in such party primaries.
The action taken was foregoneE conclu-
sion and the meeting appears to have
been mere fOrmallty.
The factional fight in Shenandoah did
not come up In open meeting. as some
had anticipated. AS a matter OF fact the
plan which was ruled to be In violation
Of the general primary plan was drawn
by tho chairmen of Shenandoah, Fred
erlck and the city of Winchester, const!-
tutng the senatorial committee, thus
giving Frederick county and its city con-
troll of the situation.
Personnel of Meeting.
There were present at the meeting
Chairman John e. Easley, Of the Third
District Committee; and Messrs. John s.
Harwood, P. v. Cogbill and B. L. Wins
ton, OF the same district; J. w. Curtis.
Second District; d. @. Eggleston, of the
Sixth District; e. D. Newman, of the
Seventh Districts R. Lindsey Gordon. Of
the Eighth District, and Edward Echols
and Joseph Button, of the Tenth.
The First. Fourth. Fifth and Ninth Dis
tricts had not q personal representative
at the meeting, Besides those present.
Others in attendance held proxies to the
number Of eighteen, making a total rep
resentation In person and by proxy OF
twenty-eight members out OF the total
OF fifty
Mr.. r.. T. Crump was designated al
secretary In the absence OF SECRETARY j.
G. Hankins.
AS soon as the meeting opened. Chair
man Ellyson suggested that the commit
tee sit in executive session. Colonel John
Harwood, on the other hand. moved
that the meeting be an open one.
Mr.. ]. G. Easley. OF Henrlco. offered az
substitute, that the committee sit In
executive session. The substitute pre-
vailed without the formAllty OF a division.
The reporters and others present without
proxies were therefore excluded and Ge
committee got down to It's deliberations
and toiled for two hours with the result
es stated
Tho call was read and also tho letter
written by State Chairman EIlyson to
State Senator Luptoh.
Hon. Edward Eohols. OF Augusta, OF
fered the following resolution:
Resolved. That we earnestly request
the local party authorities to do all In
their power to enforce the provisions OF
the primary plan to the end that the
manner of making nominations Of party
candidates. as provided by the last con
vention, may be duly recognized and re-
spected.
Resolved. That copy OF these resolu-
tions be sent to each county and city
chairman
Resolved. That It Is the sense OF this
committee that all nominations for state
senators and members of the House OF
Delegates should be by primary and that
the voting must be viva voce.
Resolved. I'd That the provisions OF tho
primary plan In respect to viva yocs vot-
ing are mandatory.
Resolved, 80. That only white Demo-
Gratis are entitled TO participate In the
primary.
The Newman Resolution,
Mr.. Newman. of Shenandoah county, Of
fered the following:
Whereas, the call for a senatorial pri-
mary election in the Tenth Senatorial
District composed of tho counties OF
Frederick and Shenandoah and the city
of Winchester) nxed for August 18th.
fails to comply with the requirements OF
the primary plan as adopted ny the COM
mittee to ba followed in the nominations
OF candidates for the General Assembly
and other OFFICES. at the direction OF this
Democratic State Convention of August,
1901, in the following essential paricu-
lars, viz;
/. In that said primary, in its terms. y
opened to all voters regardless OF party
;, In that II provides that all candi-
dates be voted for direct by bsllot and
tha vote shall be taken, canyassed and re-
p,rned as al a regular election" instead
~ taking the vote by the viva yoce sys-
fem as required by the primary plan.
And whereas. II is considered by this
committee that II was the intention nt
the Democratic party by It's Tesolutton