The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-02-04
TO
CRITICISM.
Virginia Representatives Claim
They Have Right to Elk
press Opinion.
.BRoWNL0W BILL SLEEPING
Some Of Its Friends Are Getting
Very Impatient at the
Delay.
BRoWNL0W BILL SLEEPING
From ony Regular correspondent.),

u
# (Trom orr Regular Correspondcnt.)
WASHINGTON. y. c., Feb. a,--The
members Of tho Virginia delegation In
Congress-, who expressed thelr views on
the N1achen bill, regulating primaries,
which Is now pending III tho Virginia
Senate, are not disposed to accept In ST.
lence the criticism to which they have
been subjected because they spoke out
md stated their objections. The mem-
bers Of the delegation, who are the most
5punotilious as regards the criticism, OF
matters pending in tho Legislature, think
that this bill proposing to regulate tho
primary elections Of the State, Is differ.
lent from general legislative matters, In
that It proposes matter Of party gov
eminent, In which Ill Democrats should
be Interested, and on which every Demo-
crat Of Virginia should be allowed to OK
press an opinion, even II no IS member
OF Congress.
II am opposed 10 any bill which pro-
poses to do away with the primary sys-
tenn" said Representative John Lamb
today. IT am opposed to any duplex
system. am opposed to any ironclad
ba 'ot or secret ballot. want the viva
7vocc system used In the choice OF u cun-
didate for Congress In the Third Dis
trIct. do not want any change In the
law which will allow delegates Selected
at primary election to make the norni.
nation in n convention. I feel that
have right to express this opinion. and
1t Is entitled to the weight that would be
allowed the opinion Of any other Demo-
crat OF Virginia In considering the sub
ject Of making party nominations.
hn1f o,yot faf = mi He H ritl nrI
that
Tho foregoing is practically tho position
Of all the members Of the delegation.
With one or two exceptions they arc IN
sympathy with the position assumed
by The iTiInos- Dispatch, that there Is no
legislation needed on the subject OF party
primaries now, the General Assembly
having made amy plan which any OF the
parties may adopt legal plan, pro-
tected by the same penalties that are
provided for the punishment Of vio;ltors
OF the general election laws Of the State.
NOT YET REPORTED.
The bill introduced by Mr.. Flood some
time ago. providing for the compensation
by the national government OF the vlr-
ginia Military Institute. for the destruc-
ton Of the buildings by General Hunters
| army in the summer Of 1851 has not been
reported from the committee to which It
was referred. Il 1t is not likely tfiat the bill.
| II passed at all. will allow. so great n sum
+! as. 1t now provides for. The measure
| provides that three hundred thousand
acres Of public lands shall be set aside
for the purpose OF paying the claim. The
land Is sold at SIPS per acre. 1t Is thought
| by some Of the friends Of the bill that
| the sum asked is rather large, II 1t is
expected that the bill will pass. But
| the passage OF the bill Is not nearly so
! certain as many other things which are
| still in the future.
| The friends OF the Brownlow good roads
bill are getting impatient at the delay
| in reporting the measure from tho Com
| mittee on Agriculture. The hearings on
the bill will not be completed for some
time. Mr. Browniow has not yet appear
ed before the committee. Representative
Lamb, who is the senior minority member
| Of the committee. said to-day that he was
not prepared to say that he would vote
for the bill, unless some changes are
| made Several members who are disposed
to support the bill have said recently that
| It was doubtful II they would do so un-
/ less is was amended so as to allow the
| money to be expended In the various
4 States to be spent under the supervision
! OF local officials. Representative Lamb
wants the measure amended so as to have
/ 1t provide that the expenditure OF the
| money appropriated shall be under the
/ direction OF" local bonded officials.
l But another member of the delegation
! from Virginia, who does not desire 10 DC
/ quoted on the subject for reasons whicn
/ are obvious, said he did not think this
feature was bad, as he did not believe
the average man In charge OF road con-
A struction and repair knew how to, build
n road. He thought 1t would be well Tor
the government to send experts TO have
the work in charge.