The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-04-12
PRIMARY.LA\N
T'O|'...B||:;'E|PA SSE:D.
TWO Bills Now Pending IN.
Committee.
ARE AFfTE r PRINCIPLE,
Patrons Seek This Rather Than Minute
Oetails-Popu Demand Comes
% fron, All Over State Move.
ment Has Party Approval. !.

: 7.slt
merit Has Party Approval.
Political reforms like all others, come
by easy stages, and after. long, weary
struggles, to bless and elevate the peo-
bio Of q great State. 1t was back IN
1903 that the Hon Eugene Withers, OF
Danville who will go down in history
as the father 9of the constitutional
Convention" offered Il bill in tho Senate
OF Virginia, calling for a revision OF the,
organic law OF the state, and tho propo-
siton was thrice rejected by the people
at tho polls. but the very citation LOT
the great subject by great minds SGT
the people to thinking, and when the tm limo
was ripe for the movement they called q
convention, elected their best men, and
made for themselves constitution which
ranks as ono OF the most benehcent that
ever graced q State or blessed the homes
OF FREQ people. ts44
It was IN 1883 that Hon. ]. Tinsley
Coleman, then or Nelson. now OF Lynch
burg. offered the first employers la
bility bill In tn Legislature, but not until
|tit had been reoffered at every session
UP to the present one, passed BY the
House and rejected by the Senate. did
the principle become SO engrafted upon
the hearts OF the people that they de-
mand ed. through both political parties,
that It should be written in the statute,
law Of the State.
MANY PARALLELS.
The child labor bill recently passed 3
the Mathews dog law, and many other
reforms. Y fall within the same class. and
but demonstrate that great reforms are
not accomplished in a day, and that he
who would lend his people in the march
Of progress must be content to meet and
BATTLE reverses. and to continue his bat
tie when there are apparently no signs
Of victory.
The present Legislature has enacted a
number OF sweeping reforms. some made
necessary by the new Constitution. others
upon the demands OF their constituents
and all primarily growing out Of a desire
on the part Of the people to reach ii a
higher stage Of Utilization, and to arouse
themselves from the ashes of the past.
and join in the march OF progress, which
is In control of allthe most advanced peo-
pies OF earth. There Is yet another re-
form which the present Legislature Is
called upon to enact into law according 70
the popular$view OF public men both&ini
and out or the body and 1t Is that for
fairer and better system Of nominating
candidates for public office. l I
BILL INTRODUCED
"A In response to the widespread demand
for this reform, bills looking to Elegalizing
primary elections6in all parties have been
offered In the two houses and Will Il pc
pressed vigorously by those behind them.
The House measure was presented II by
Hon. John Whitehead; Of Norfolk, and
Hon. Thomas w. Gardner. of Henrico.,
Jointly, and that pending In the Senate.
is fathered by Senator w. F. Barksdale.
OF Halifax, the successful patron of the
now famous pure elections BILL
The Whitehead Gardner bill has been
referred to n subcommittee Of the Privi-
leges and Elections Committee, composed
OF Messrs. Cation Cumming and =. G..
Jordan and they are expected to report to
the full committee this week, when, after
being reviewed by the latter body. It
will be reported to the House and likely
passed. "A "a ss1 IA
Mr. Barksdale will press for favor.
able report on his bill this week, and
when the two shall have been consider
cd in their respective branches, some
compromise Is likely to be reached and
the amended bill passed by both.
AFTER PRINCIPLE.
Neither the patrons Of these measures
nor the public seem SO greatly concern
ed over details as over the principle con-
tained in both measures, and the fact
that tneJ DeHOCTilliSA PAT ~ SoA''
assembled has declared for and put
general primary plan in force! In the
State is taken somewhat as the nature
OF q mandate upon the Legislature to
pass some measures on Sthis line.
The experience OF other States, where
legalized primaries have been born of
necessity. is invoked in support Of legls-
lative action here, and Is counting for
much with the members. to say nothing
OF the necessity which is said to be
apparent to most men In public life,
n South Carolina. Nebra ska. Alabama,
mississippi and a large number OF other
States in all sections OF the country have
adopted the primary system Of naming
candidates for all offices. from United
States Senator down, and a law on the
same line has Just become effective
and been successfully tried for the first
time in the State Of Maryland. -
IT Is confidently expected that before
the present Legislature adjourns an
up-to-date primary system VIII have been
inaugurated in Virginia. vs. is