The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-08-21

MAY GET
MONEY BACK Y ), (.
There IS No. one Opposing
Hon. Az G. Hartman.
HE is ASSESSED HEAVILY
No Complaint Made by Hin, Dut Y e
Thought the sum Would 90 Re.
turned to Him Should He 4aag
5as,54 Ask for Il. Ut 3f,ki

Aon. A. G. Hartman, who, up 70 tEis
time Is the only aspirant for the State
Senate for the new Richmond senator.
ship, when asked yesterday ms to the
assessment Of SIS levied by the City
Democratic Committee. stated that he
would abide BY the action OF the com
mittce and the party authorities. Other
than this no had nothing TO say.
Tho committee has the unquestioncd
right to assess the candidate under the
party primary plan. but there is q diff
ference OF opinion as to whether or not
the committee must refund the deposit IN
the event that there Is but one aspirant,
and he Is declared the nominee without
the necessity O.; entering the primar ~ ne
party plan makes specific provision Tor
such contingency IN the following
words: III only one person slHll com
ply with this requirement (as 10 canal
dacy) the city Tor county, committee
shall meet and announce that fact, and
declare the said person the nominee, and
give notice that said primary Will not
be held"
Nothing Is said as to the return OF de-
posts made by candidates TO defray the
expenses OF the primary. nor Is any
thing said as to the necessity for such
assessment in the party plan proinui-
gated by the State Central ommittee. N
the concluding portion OF the general prl-
mary plan as proclaimed, this paragraph
apcpars:
GET OFFICERS FREE.
~ tneing the opinion OF the State Central
Committee that the judges and clcrH
herein provided for can, In most instances
be secured to perform this party service
without compensation, the committees
whose duty 1t is made to appoint them
arc expected 50 far as the same may
be possible, to appoint such election OIL
GERS as will not require to be paid Tor
their services"
The Inference is inevitable that where
such Judges and clerks cannot be Sc
cured to serve without pay the commit
tees must raise the funds necessary. and
It Is expected that this will be done ny
lcvying assessments on tho candidates.
Many who have given thought to the
subject reason that whereas the assess
mcnt levied on candidates Is purely ana
solely Justified on the ground that IT Is
10 be used to detray the ecessary expenses
at the primary. the candidates must give
notice OF his candidacy and deposit the
sum sscssed with the committee. In the
event that only one candidate announces
his candidacy, II Ia, fDGClliChlIS pcS'AS"
that no primary shall be held, but that
the committee shall declare the one giving
notice Of candidacy in a primary. the
nominee. 55E
SHOULD BE REFUNDED. /
I'll sargued that since this sum Is not
used in holding primary, it should
be refunded to the candidate. The City
Democratic Committee, however, incllnes
10 the other view, holding that where pri-
maries for both House and Senate are
to be held at the same time. the unop-
posed candidate for the Senate must share
the expenses OF the election In which
his aspirations would have been decided,
had he had a competitor for the nomina-
ton. 1t is expected that test case OF
this point will come UP before the State
Central Committee before the campaign
closes. The State plan does not specift-
cally' provide for the return Of the assess
ment for the reason that no specific pro-
vision Is made for such assessment Inc
question is an interesting one. and may
come IN In Connection with tho Richmond
senatorial nominal ton. although Mr.. Har-
man has not intlmated any intention OF
making any comulaint. On the contrary. he
agrees to do whatever the party authori-
ties deem proper. AS 1t is, however, the
a assessment uponan uncontested candidate
Is equivalent to placing premium upon
aspiration TO office. and that Is the chief
fault found with the primary plan.