The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1903-10-24
THE PRIMARY.
VIEWS OF COUNTY cHAlRMEN.
Viva Voee Feature Declared to be
Unpopular.

primary. ~ iuIllhI'u WI" "'"'' -
tems'
=. II the primary il not perfect, IS hat
system is and can you briefly eNplni" the
reasons for the preference. whether Tor
primary or other systems
g. Has the viva yuce system any AT
feet on your elections
=. L. it any more Objectionable than
| the emass.meeting or convention methods .
:. lfa vote could be taken to morrow
among the Democrats ui your county,
/ what system Oi nominations DO you
/ think they would decide Tor
a. DO you think the primary 81 OF
nomination II likely 10 grow or 70 ios-
| in public favor?
/ 10. What il your feeling and what r.
/ the feeling OF the people ct your county
I regarding the general primary sy-tein
/ for nomination of general officers?
/ II. How do you think the primary
system affects the integrity and fairness
Oi the result,
/ II What j. the cost to candidates of
I the primary under the Bari sial" ia" -
compared with the former method-'
! Among the ausWcrs so lar rrrtised
were the following.
sporslfNANA 'urNn
Hon. q. II Bscoe. chairman. No com
test aud no test of primary People gen.
orally favor ii iof nited states senaior-
and State Offices. but prefer 20 adopt
their own plau for county and district
offices The cort Of the primary 10 rnn-
didates II it, most Objectionable feature.
erArrDrp .lI sFN
Capt. y. ". Lee county chairmar.
Nominations heretofore 10y district m' ei-
ings aud mass.neetine- at court-hnu-e.
People favor the primary. but have NOT
vet tested it Feeling is in favor of the
general primary for nomination 0i state
officers
cARuiINE cot Nri.
Hon. y b. Powers. Jr.. county chair.
man. Ia the last i've years have nomi.
nated usually by precinct meetings. held
at The same hour throughout thecounty
Primary brought, out about 700 voters,
substantially the same AS the attendance
at the meetings Opposition 10 primary
il strong. ~ people prefer their old tys-
tenn. believing % take less oi their Time
and To secure nominations by repre-en-
I tative men. They prefer the secret bal.
| lot to viva vOce vote and regard the visa
yoce primary a. distinctly more otl'c
[ tionable than the old system. The pri-
mary plan ia likely 10 lose In favor aud
the people oppose the general primary
| The viva voce primary H. regarded as IN
| fair. nasmuch az il "throttles the con
/ yirtiOns" of voters. The cost ol the pri
mary would be as nothing compared
/ 90 the old plan il the law was obeyed
/ INT in actual results the cost Il but httle
less Chairman Powers says the law r.
a lever to promote honesty il upheld by
] a strong public sentiment, but otherwise
il tower Of strength to politicians
intent on securing offices regardless ol
means and methods.
RICHMOND COrNTN
c. W. ChinD, county chairman: Nom
nations heretofore by district m6se
meetings and county conventions. Pri-
mary not yet tested, as there were no
contests. but very highly favored
County conventions should have author
ity TO adopt the ballot system for local
primaries. The viva yoce method womb
diminish the vote in local contests and
would make the primary more objection
able than the old system Primaries are
likely to grow in public favor. The peo
ple are favorable 10 the iiea Of "a general
primary.
GLOUCESTER COT NTN.
County chairman. JOhnN Tabb: Nom
nations have been made by conventions
at the courthouse. About three fourth
Of the Democratic votes were brought
out. AZ there was no contest this year
urinary was not needed. Does not be-
iieye people will turn out To primary
which requires two elections, while It II
hard TO induce people to go to one. Pr
mary system not likely TO gain iavor
II ia likely to eugender endless discord
, aod trouble.
/ .FArQrIER COUNTY.
{ Chairman Albert Fletcher Nomina
tions heretofore by precinct and district
. meetings and primary by ballot. Urinary
A., has developed larger attendance, 6rough'
, out 900 voters Majority OF the peo
ole favor primary by ballot. Chairman
Fletcher iayors "A uniform primary by
ballot for state officers aud United
States Senate, leaving each county, city
, and district TO adopt it's own method o
nomination; believes nine-tentbs IL iheu
would adopt the ballot primary. Bsllo
Nos used ia the county. People woul'
not have the viva vOce They rPgart
, any method as better than that Noml
nation by ballot will grow in favor, bu
the viva voce method will break up Tn
, PARTY II insisted on. As between th
Barksdale law and the former condition
!, Fauauier sess no difference. llenrici
seems to be the only bad spot IN tn
q State. Mr.. Fletcher remarks. lie ha
the same opinion o. the Barksdale Law
as the viva voce system The forme
> does not prevent fraud and the othe
does not prevent candidate from pas
y ing alter the goods are delivered.
& PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY.
e Hon. Thomas II. Lion, chairman: tt
county has been nominating county OIL
cers by primary twelve or fifteen yesr
and selecting delegates 10 State CONVEX
a tione by county and district mass pee
DI ings. People are much opposed to III
E. viva voce method and find 1t much MOI
* Objectionable than the old system OF non
n nation by county mass-meetiDgs' IN
primaries have given entire satisiactIo
n- and are regarded as the best plan for g
ID Letting candidates. They have been ia
u and clean and the cost has been kept
y minimum.
; KING AND QUEEN COUNTY.
William F. Bsgby chairman: NOmin
tions heretofore by district and count
g. mass meetings. Primary system notyI
~ tried People, however, favor it stron
h ly. and it Is likely to grow 10 popularit
n Regard the idea Of a general primary 4
4 nomipation OF State officers az move
IS the right direction, which will regul
le elaboration and regulation to make
Of successful.
y LOUDorN COUNTY.
N d. Bruin, county chairman: Nomin
r. tions have been made by primary sever
le years. The last primary brought ol
44O votes, which Is about 30 per cen
Of the registered Democratic vote. II
candidates were many and the intere
a. was keen. The people are divided, b
zee the majority Of them prefer the prlme
no 10 former methods. Loudoun has q
ne tried the viva voce system because II
peared to be very objectionable 70 :