The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-02-07

fare Of the Democratic phrty cnrtainly
It's provisions wot,ld seetn To insuro apso-
gluto fairness III primary elections. 4
Tliat tho method Of Illuminating county
and city officers should DO left to the dls u.s..
erection Of the local i,arty authoritles
\ as Is TOW done, is tho cause Of q sreat
many fractional disputes, which disputes !,
cause moro trouble In tho Democ tl tlo 2
ranks than anything else ntthe preas'ehl
tino. Id. ;i 3,
There nro several minor objections 70
tho Mnthenf5l,ili which, think, VIII
appeal to those who lave closely o.
served the practical workings or primary
elections, especially IN the cities OF tlils
State. For example, tho bill provides e III
section that "rl,cro shall DO three
judges and ono clerk of such electloi Ut
each lprocinct.o 1t seems To inc that there
should be two Judges and two clerks, ior
tho manifest reason that tho CLERKS fca l-
~ do tho work, and one clerk IS very
apt. and, Indeed, Will almost hecessa rily
make some errors in his tally sheet,
whereas If two clerks nro used theso
errors are lest apt TO occur. It also seems
to mo that tho last provision In the 9Th
section is unnecessary which provl-
sion reads us follows; No judge or
clerk Shall charge or receive from any
person or party II greater compensation
than Is allowed by law TO Judge or
clerk OF q regular eectlon.'.ltlt IS
well known fact, especially III tho cities
Of this State, that tho Democratic prN
mary clections are tho most hotly con-
tested Of any elections held, ana re
sducntly when there are numerous candl-
dates for city offices, including INC lily
Council, Il tremendous amount OF Worls
devolvos on tho judges and clerks OF
IL, IL, MI
suucntly found 1t impossible to secure the
services ofAcumpetcnt men at the rates
allowed by law to a Judge or clerk OF q
regular election. 55 \; y
4 Section 10 provides that ANY person
Voted for at such election and ono per-
son authorized by him IN writing, OF
either or them, shall be permitted to pc
present In each voting place from tho
opening OF the polls until after the re-
turns arc certified, etc. In q loemocratlo
primary for municipal offices there arc
frequently several candidates for Mayor,
several for collector Of taxes, for city
auditor, for city attorney. and perhaps 'l:
ten orttwelvo candidates for City Coun-
ell In each ward 1t can readily q be
seen that4if each ono of these numerous
candidates were allowed to have q rep
5rcscntatlve In each voting place It would
mean TINT from fifteen to twenty per-
sons, besides the judges and clerks would
be in the small room usually used for the
purposes or voting. This would render u
absolutely impossible for the Judges and
clerks to attend to their duties, and al
though It is evident that this provision
was intended 10 secure absolute fairness,
and although&I heartily approve Of tho
spirit Of the provision, ! regret 70 say
thnt It could hot practically be carried
out.
Having served on the Democratic Com
mittee Of this city for seven or eight
years, and having during that time close
~ observed the workings OF Democratlc
primaries I take the liberty Of making
tho above criticisms of tho Machcn bill. ]
wish it to BIO, understood. however, that
/ regard this bill as the best ! have
ever known on this subject In the state
of Virginia.
Yours very truly,
GARDNER L. .BOoTHE.
Alexandria, Va, Feb. I'd, 1904.