The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-05-07
RICHMOND'S CITY Committeeman FIRE
THE FIRST GUN ON SUBJECT OF STATE PRIMARY
Refuse to Adopt Resolution Al
lowing the People to En-
press Choice.
MEANS FIGHT IN CONVENTION ::
Believed Plan Will be Attacked
Unless People speak-Richn1ond
Elects Delegates May 24th.

The City Democratic Committee last
night fixed May oath as the time ana
four hour primary as the method TOT
selecting delegates to the state conHetl- owen
tion, and fired what seems to be the
opening gun on the general primary
nrinciplo tw overwhelmingly refusing
to adopt a resolution to allow those vot-
Ing for delegates to express their views
for or against the principle thus M
structing tho delegates how to vote
should there be a fight on this line IN
the state convention.
The meeting lasted only an hour, and It
took but few moments to decide how
and when the delegates shall be elected.
MIR. shea offered a. motion. which was
adopted without discussion, fixing Tues
day, May oath. between the hours Of
and p. NJ. az the time for holding q
primary to choose the slxty-one delegates
to which the city Is entitled, and the
arranging of the details was left to
the committee on plans, with instruc-
tions to report next Friday night.
Evidently 1t was anticipated that
move was on foot to allow the people to
say whether or not they favored main-
taln!ng the primary principle for the
nomination. and Mr.. Manning entered a
speedy motion to adjourn.
Mr.. Hughes's Resolution.
There was a chorus of seconds to this
motion, while Mr.. Clarence Il. Hughes,
or Marshall Ward, stood waving n paper
above his head and appealing that the
motion be- withdrawn. This was finally
agreed to. and Mr.. Hughes presented the
following resolutions: 5 i6s
h "JVhereas, the State Democratic
Committee has declared In favor OF
all party nominations being made by
primary. therefore, be 1t resolved,
That the City Democratic Committee
make 1t part Of It's plan In the
coming primary for the voters to sex-
press themselves as to whether or
not they favor the general primary
4 principles, and that on the ballots
Shall appear the words Primary
d. Anti Primary the delegates to tho 4
4; convention to 5bn, Instruct ed "a as the, ,4
ma a1ority vote shall decide, 7s.s \. (.
Mr.&Manning First.
Il Mr.. Manning moved to table the lreso-
luton. and In favor Of this motion he
said he hoped NO outside matter would
be brought In to arouse factional feeling
y lf
eve are getting the party into a
harmonious condition" /" said Mr.. Man
Ming. "and this Is no time to be drawing
old factional lines" He believed his spco-
pie favored the primary, and II y inc
convention. he should so vote. But he
was personally opposed to State pri-
mary on the ground that the system
was expensive and meant that poor
man could not aspire for office. Again
Mr.. Manning thought 1t was a matter
to be dealt with by the Legislature rno
not party committees or conventions. HIS
motion to table was seconded, but II
answer to an appeal from Dr. Darlington
! 1t was temporarily withdrawn in order
! 10 allow the resolution to be discussed
| Mr.. Hughes spoke eloquently for his res
olution, and said that there had beer
much talk of raising the issue In tht
| convention. and that the people shoulc
be allowed to say whether or not they
desired the plan abandoned.
Is Quickly Killed.
For his own part. he and his people
favored the primary plan, and desired
to see the issue fairly and snuarely made
before the Democratic voters
MIR. Saunders endorsed all Mr.. Manning
had said. and the motion to table wa!
renewed and almost unanimously adopted
The action of the body on this poln
is considered significant and, 1t IS be
lieyed that it forbodcs fight over re
| tanning the principle when the State con
| vention meets. .
II Is considered little remarkable bI
some of the friends of the primary tha'
when the issue Is up In the Legislature
HTS enemies say ii Is a matter for the
Marty convention and committees TO de-
! termine, and when It comes to these trl.
| hunnls they argue that by all means the
Legislatures should deal with 1t.
AS has been often predicted, there VIII
almost certainly be a.fIght In the state
convention to break down the primary
principle for State and United States
senatorial nominations in the coming
convention