The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-02-21
Un- Democratic Primaries.
Z. -.--...... q.
tlItor 81 ,rl,c ,i,jm,le,s. tolspatch.8 31ll

Editor Of rllc Times Dispatch:
5 slr:--1l your paper Of Sunday. Tebru-
ary Z. 1904, vol, have published the Views
OF various gentlemen OH tho primary
In 1901. lii adding my Views to those Of
Others. BY yoiir permission 1 N viii cil-
s dcavor Is point out the fact that the
great mass pfs3the Democratic voters do
I not really fully appreciate the primary
plan we now l,hvo iindcr the rules Of
! the Democratic Committee. ana further,
that WHOM they really como to under
4 stand It III It's entirety. there Will bo y
great danger confronting tho party.
4 There IA 40 use In ,lsii,g high, sounding
phrases about this primary plan or scck-
lsingto cover III Its real gIst IN tho flat
terinE assertion that. It's authors want
L the people to have Il direct voice II, nam
ing therf candidates for Democratic Of
y fees. This idea. II carried out, is ui1-
doiibtedly honest and Democratic; but
when IL plan defeats and kills tho very
object which 1t processes tofndvance, such
Z Il plan is nothing less than hypocrisy OF
the rankest Kind. and It Will nottfool the
\ people III tho time. Mr., John s.. Patton.
Of tho Seventh District, SUGGESTS tho real
milk In the cocoanut when he says In his
reply: THAI the dangers Of this kind 'of
q primary Is that. 1t imposes burdens OF
financial nature which cloEes MI aven-
lies p public horors to all but the
"A wealthy."H II this be true. can such n
plan be correct in principle? Or can It
IN any sense be Democratic?
534 Under 6thts plan the candidates have
4 to bear the expenses of these primaries.
Slr$the Office Is voted for by the whole
Stnte, then tic candidates expenses are
& his part for opening about $500 pre-
+ cincts ut from SO to SIC a. precinct. II
1T liz for Congress-, tinder our apportion-
- IL
tllc4amountafo for the whole State. II you
ARE nominated for State Office. such as
4 Governor. there your primary expenses
IRE nearlyfns much MS tho salary OF the
Governor for four years. II for Congress-
#ltf Is about one fourth OF tho salary for
your term OF two years.. II no opposi-
SsHonj appears for Governor. then such
/ State officers ms havo opposition VIII
3tjlave to foot tho bills. II only one OF the
tickets has opposition fsuch as Attorney
GeneraD The and his opponents will have
To foot the entire bill for the State pri-
,nary.I III all cases where there is no OPP
positlon.s the nominal committee declares
the only candidates applying for any
4 particular office the nominee by a formal
announcement, with no other sanction
: for these candidates than the com nlit-
( tees say SO on an arbitrary rule OF the
State Committee. a e Y
THE main cause Of the failure OF oppo-
! rition was not and is not the strength Of
u the candidates. hut the mere fact that no
Z other person eligible has sufficient ready
cash to try conclusions with the man III
Z Office or with tho candidate toswhom the
enormous expense Of running and paying
for n State election out OF his own pock-
ii IS no. reconsideration This Is &the sta
tus. The mere fact that Mr.. Jones OF,
hIr. Smith is In love with the plan be-.
cause he can stand pat" with himself or
his cash cuts no figure. Now this is an
official trust for those with finances. It
should be named '.The Freeze-out Plan.
,rhis plan comes with poor grace from
p,irists who know they have cash; It is
a case OF heads / win. tails You lose. It
is all very nnttering to the dear people
Ito want them to have n direct voice In
naming their candidates. but to hold out
to them wItflsono hand this plan and then
with tho other hand to gag them !. {, and 4
bind them hand and foot. limiting their
choice to d man with large cash assets
sufficient to pay for a State election, is
rank insincerity and cuts all poor YOUNG