Rural Retreat times. [volume] (Rural Retreat, Va.) 1892-1918, 1903-06-05
ELECTION OF SENATORS.

Contrary to general expectation, the
state senators to be elected on the
yember, 1903, including the new senator
given to Richmond city by the 1902
eapportionment, will serve four years
from January /, 1904 or until January
/, 1908. Their successors are to be
chosen at the November election, 1907
These senators to be chosen next No
vember will, therefore, have voice in
the selection of two United States SEN
ators In the fall of 1904 a successor
10 Senator Daniel will be chosen, and
in the spring of 1906 a successor to
Senator Thomas S. Martin is to be
chosen Senator Daniel, it is said, will
be reelected without opposition in his
own party. For the succession to SEN
ator Martin there will be contest in
he party. At least one gentleman will
ontest the honor with him. just who
that one will be is yet almost as I'M
ertain as the senatorship itself.
The members of the state senate
(hosen this fall will have the choice
of two senators, but unless the party
plan of primary be repealed they will
merely vote as they are instructed. In
the event that no Democrat aspires
to succeed Senator Daniel. there will
be no senatorial primary this summer
The state central committee of the
Democratic party will merely declare
him the Democratic nominee, and ev-
cry Democratic member of the general
assembly will be pledged to vote for
his reelection.
The situation in 1905 is the more in
seresting. In the event that there are
more than two candidates in the party
primary and that no one has major
ity, it may then fall to the lot of the
general assembly to elect from those
voted for. Naturally the man secur-
ing the largest vote will be the strong
est candidate, if, indeed, the party
plan does not provide for plurality
nomination. This feature of the pri-
mary plan may be changed. however,
before 1905 There is considerable OPP
position to nomination of governor and
senator by minority vote.
uSIS 10 nOW PSlhQiiiS IL tLS SSNASASN'
assembly a plan for legalized primaries,
wherein delegates are selected to a
delegated convention, the man secur-
ling a majority of the delegates being
entitled to the nomination by the con-
vention. In the event no candidate re-
! ceives a majority, the fight for the
nomination would then be settled in
| the convention, and in that event the
man receiving the largest vote in the
primaries may not be the successful
man. Under this plan the county OF
city would be the unit, and the ex-
tpense of the primary would be borne
Iby the state, instead of by the candi
dates, as under the party plan now II
Vogue. Furthermore. such a legalizeO
primary would be held under regula
tons prescribing heavy penalties 10
the use of money or other inducement
TO voters or workers.
The fact that twenty senators to b
chosen this fall, who will have vot
in the selection of Senator Martin
successor, will make the United State
senatorship direct issue in the nomi
lnations for the senate this summer
fOf these twenty the new senator to
chosen in Richmond city will be one
; his district being the fortieth G
Icourse, realizing the possibility of tn
abolition or amendment of the part
tplan of primary, or it's supersession al
together by the proposed legalized pr
mary choosing delegates to a nominal
ing convention, no aspirant to sue
coed Senator Martin is going to tax
any chances, but each one will see
TO secure the nomination of men fay
orable to his candidacy for the Fedora
senate. These conditions may serve t
make the campaign this fall yer
lively one indeed. No one knows wha
changes may occur before the list {
January, 1906.-Times- Dispatch.