The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-09-16
sAyETHE FRUITS.

a3 G SAVET1EF l<Ollo.
" n the following editorial paragraph 'he
Norfolk Ledger discusses Q. question ' 'u
!. now uppermost in tho Thoughts -
.nany yirgininns, and which unquest'oii-
ably Is OF Importance:
what degree OF truth there Is III me va.
rlous reports that have been puotis ~
Il that efforts are being mace 70 oes.. ~, tes
urinary plan for nominating cah1lusss
fhat hns been nut in force BY the lIo'l.o
cratic party Of the State, we nave ~
s.-,eona of knowing, but we are sn'islleu
That IL such reports are truo me u.s ,.uat.
crs OF Democratic harmony unaercs'l,au.o
their ability to control the political sl .u,od
tion in Virginia, the men WIZ ' vor
to n successful conclusion the moVe'l,e.'s
Fnr g. new Constitution do not intena 70
,oao the fruit of their victory BY yeldihs
.o~thn attempted leadership of those VINO,
.otisNed with old conditions. did all that
they could to perpetuate those coha,I ,,,s
The great body of Democrats u
r;nin are determined that the pracuces
s,.hiah obtained under the old Underwood
CONSTITUTION shall not be continued now
&t}int the negro has been eliminated. 10
large extent, from the politics OF our
State. i..
The Ledger, we think, Is right IN It's
conclusion that tho people Of the state
do not intend to lose the fruit OF thcir
victory by allowing return to OLD con-
d,,ions. but the people must busy therh-
selves to SEQ to 1t that such turn aoou'
shall be made impossible.
First the Legislature should 90 urged
"a make the laws governing regular elec-
tons apply to primary elections as 1ur
aH possible. Then the people should take
tcare not to send as delegates to the next
\ Democratic State convention men who are
1nimtcable or indifferent to tho primary
election system. If they omit to exer-
else due care in this particular 1t Will be
their own fault II the State convention
shows an unrriendly disposition towards
the primary system.
From all we can learn the primary per
q &c is popular in Virginia we hear OF
objections to this feat and to that, out
so much might have been expected on
{ the first trial of the system throughout
the Commonwealth We believe voters
generally. prefer to 30 to their voting
precincts and quietly and comfortably
cast their votes for party nominees rather
than have to squeeze into fussy court
house or ward meetings
a There are plenty of able and ambitious
men In each city and county ready and
wIlling-yea, eager, to champion the prl'
mary election eause..'Thelr services shoulc
be enlisted. and when the time approaches
for electing delegates to the State con
vention they should arouse the voters ant
ca MN them to stand by the primary, ant
ye doubt not that they will meet viii
success 1t Is not question now whethe
one prefers this or that candidate for thi
or that office. but chow" the nomination
shall DO made, and we contend that n
other plan yet devised Is superior to tn
primary plan
Quite recently the question Of prImar
!, or no primary for the nomination OF stat
h officers was threshed out In Louisiana
Very strenuous and determined opposite
arose from some quarters but popula
opinion ran SO strongly In favor Of pr
mary that the State Committee with gren
uDanirnity adopted that plan. But for tn
pressure put upon the committee by tn
people It Is doubtful II 1t would hay
abandoned the caucus and convento
methods in favor OF the primary.
Hero In Virginia the subject Is In tt
hands OF the Democratic State convention
Tho last Democratic State convention d.
cIared In favor of the primary systc
and directed the State Committee TO pr
rare a. plan, That committee obeyed Il
instructions gwen 1t. and prepared Il
plan We now have.
It is for the State convention to 81
Iext yenr whether IT Will adhere to
position or not, 1t can choose betwe
acher,ng to the primary system or aba
donng 1t altogether, In tho former eve
1t can direct such changes to be made
It thinks proper, or It may leave IN
matter to the Judgment and discretion
the State Committee.
We have no authority to speak for a
member OF tho committee, but We dares
that, In the event stated the commit
would prefer that the convention shor
1Edicate what changes the convention &C
s,dered desirable.
80 far we have been speaking of I
primary election system and prlma
election law. The Barksdale pure ell
tions law IL different thing entire
II ought to DO amended and lmproy
II ought to be made stronger and m
effective, and this should be done, IL pr
ticable, at the adjourned session OF
LEGISLATURE 30 that 1t may so into
volume OF general laws which Ia to G
body the statutory changes made In p
,.nca nj ths psw Constitution. At