The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-11-01

like II. II can and will be abolished ~
the next State convention. which VIII
assemble next spring or summer 10 senu
, delegates to the National Democrauc
| Convention. and to nominate preslden-
tial electors.
Now that sounds very harmless alu
| like commonplace truisnl
~ ,THE PACK UP THE SLEEVE.
90 the "next State convention" Is the
,nrv which will try the primary for us
And how are the delegates to the next
state convention to be chosen!
Why, by the vicious, discarded Old
/ time mass meetings!
Have the enemies of the primary
pack up the sleeve Just here! Ihere
| is nothing in the party plan OF organlza-
ton, as 1t exists. with It's amehoilis NO.
in TO date, requiring tho choice OF deie-
| rntes to any convention to be made oy
q urinary election. Thus. II the old rut
ia followed, these delegates Will DO the
creatures % mass meetings.
PRIMARY TRIED BY MASS H1EErlNG.
| IN other words the primnry-the COM
! netting system--is to go on trial peIore
| the mass meeting-lts discredited SrlVsi,
The primary, in short, Is at the mercy o.
Tibcrius! The primary Is now our say
| four from Its enemies seeking olnco IN
the the state. because It Is our weapon
apa,nnt them. But when Its own lie
ia 10 he in Jeopardy itself 1t cannot saver
4 the party has solemnly asserted tnat
i tba urinary Is 'the surest method OF
/ arriving at the will of the people ana
|. maintaining Democratic institutions.
| And yet we are going TO arrive az Lne
viii Of the people" MS to tho maintenance
| of this Democratic institution tAe ~ ~ =
| mary--by mass meetings!
/ o1la,, intp tha wQv OF thinks
ING }that the method of choosing delegates
- Il Temporary party convention Is no
arentSmatter as compared with the mntll-
oa ~ choosing nominees for oillce--that
4 the urinary Is essential for the latter,
but that "any old way" Is good enough
1 FOR tho former. And hence the last STATE
convention, In adopting the primary sys-
tenn. did not make 1t cover all parry
oisrtions (such ns choice of delegates1
ant It ia plain now that this choice OF
c,snyention delegates is a paramount con-
! alteration, for on 1t hangs the WHO'S
n,,rty' law and the fate OF the primary
system.
! Now, why should we have the strange
/ anomaly and absurd speotacle OF lhe
PRIMARY being tried before the mass
meetlng presented In Virginia IN the next
fs,v months? There Is no good reason
"a, this thing. And IL 1t does come 10
npss. who will be responsible TOR "! :,
t s.rArp COMMITTED REsPoNslsl1N'
The inevitable answer to this last cues !.
tion Is that the State Central Commlttee
viii be resronslble; for with that bouy
rests the calling Of state e convent , ~
tho basis or representation. IN these'A' a4u
Is the state Central Committee bound.
The party law Or otherwise !. 70 e sa.
Il IN, ~ local convention of the delegates
"a To- tho noxt State convention7 Not.at all'
i It can require such ae!ssatcs 70 be Sc
4 issted b, primary elections Nay more:
IL not only has tho power to do this. but
tbsro - besides eons ira N, : o ID er
tion upon 1t so to do; for the plan h OF or. or
4 Ean:zatlor of the party, adopted by the
State convention on May Sd. 1900, reads'
4 '"Tha state (centraD Committee thus "
cor STUFFED is charged with the affairs u
Z tie ;,arfy, and shall have power to per-
4, fcrt it's organization and to direct Its
conduct IN obedience to the declara tens
4. and policy OF the party, as the same shs I
Y be set forth by the State conventions
y This quotation Is from tho party con