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


IN i, "A ~ Il, which Mr.. shcltnan suiris up
Iris opposliion 10 lie plan. IA u !. n
apg 1,ut furc are the expressions III detnll.
They speak for themselves.
Hon. w. A. Joiies, First District.
IS I ,,nye your letter asking me, MS inciI'-
bar * the Democratic Executive CON
tnlttce, whether or not, In my opinion, .he
teoplc or my section OF tho state lnN..l,
4 primary elections for the choice Oh p '.a,.s
rnnilldates In this connection you MAKE
vi ~ statement that 1T Ia generally uhuer-
Vi eiond that the viva voce system OIL Not.
lila will be repealed" YOU also REQUEST
,nn IA rivc YOU my opinion IN regard 70
$ the Machen bill. u copy of which you seu ~.
me. Yo,i wish mo to say, TOO. ~ ~ ,ls
1udgmert the method Of ,non,nht y e
county and city officials should De le.'
to the discretion OF tho local parry ~
y law. ,,,s.
s # AZ 10 your first Inquiry, | have no mes 1',:,
81 ,tniion In saving that ] believe the Pr PR
innrv election principle Is very Relle. .,a:,
favored by the Democrats OF my set''o..
or the state may say further that, US
e m earnest and longtime advocate o. i,I.-
1tmnry elections. i have taken solilc p.'.n'
a To ascertain what Is the ieelinS .hpo"S
onl tho state upon this subject, ana |
rave not a particle Of doubt but that nv
+ I1cmocratI Tic masses thoroughly endorse
ma annrove the resolution OF the NOT
foil, convention which committed 'ne
4 marty to the primary system coiless
mat ut one 'timo apprehended that
some concerted action might be at.en'p.-
cd Mt the State convention wh.ch 70 -
assemble this year to rcscind tnat itso-
x lution. hut + now entertain no sucn ap-.
q. ..a,,n,.;nr + do not believe that those
who are opposed to our primary system
as snfficinet in number or nave INC
4 inmer,tv TO attempt Its abrogation, even
were they so minded. a.. ,,ooo
~ favor the retention OF the viva Voce
system of voting but I believe IT woulu
be The part of wisdom for the next State
convention to so modify our party pan
a to leave to tho local authorities the
right to adopt either me viva W.. ,,e,, ~
IA .hc ballot system in the nomination OF
+ county and municipal officers ana mem
Is heI.s of the General Assembly. Withthese
n notifications Of tho plan and one or Two
ft other changes of minor Importance "hlch
might be suggested. believe that me
u nresent party plan would become gen
ID orally acceptable to the voters VI w W
marty. There are communities Wheto Wy
4 viva yoce method gave dissatis factioh III
inca, eiections, but tho reasons therefor
would not in the main apply to genera
~ state primary elections. It should pc
remembered, too, that tour plan, Which
.mbraces the viva voce method, has never
been tested in any State or sena W IA
eleotion. Indeed. In only two or three
congressional districts even has me pan
4 been put into operation. l personally
know many people who are most WI ,.,N.
ment In their expressions OF oppositloh
.aS',ba' ,.,va yoce method OF voting rs
annlied to local elections, but VINO favor
Z Tho retention of that method In elections
Reid for the nomination of State officers
senators and representatives IN Collsress'
nv rca son. and my only reason. for fa-
vorlng the viva voce to the secret pali ~
g method is that believe the FORMER WI.
nrove far more conducive 70 pure any
honest elections, and that, a1ter az, -
tha great desideratum. With rules ana
rerulations requiring that the poll BOOKS
.nal1 be kept in public view, and mat
candidates shall have the right to nave
friends nrescnt throughout the Young,
~ do not see how tho commission on
fr,nf can he possible under the viva Voce,
ors word Of mouth, method. AZ least,
should fraud be committed under sucn
conditions, it would Of necessary NC co'i.
mitted in such an open ana no,oilous
,,,arperEns to become Immediately ap-
,aranI aud thus render Its detection
.asv| and certain. Experience has apund-
nniJv demonstrated that so much cannot
be said OF the ballot system.
Before the Democratic party declared
,tselr in favor of the prlnclp., of pri-
mary elections, and provided the means
to carry It's declaration into ERECT
favored legislative action upon TINS SUI
iect. Now that the party mas acteo'
seriously doubt the wisdom OF tho enact
ment by the Legislature OF any rigia
and inflexlble plan, especially of any plan
,,hich will have the effect Of resembling
everything that the party has done upon
this subject, and more especially one
which is totally dissimilar i'll many OF It's
most essential; features to that when
the PARTY deliberately made for itself
The plan adopted by our State conven-
ton at Norfolk, in August, 1901, not only
declared for the principle OF the selec'
ton of party candidates by primary eiec'
ton, but it went further and directed The
State Central Committee TO provide
primary election plan for the choice Of
party candidates for the United States
senate, FOR all elective State officers, FOL
members or the .lfouse e,of Representa-
n tlycs for members. Of the General AS
sembly and for county and municipal
i3 officers Except that In case Of county
4 and municipal officers, where, for spe
clal reasons, tho local party authorities
should deem it inexpedent:' and 1t also
announced that the party favored tins
enactment by the General Assembly Of
law legalzng the primaries to be con
Quoted under the plan herein provided
for" The Norfolk convention did no
content Itself with a simple declaration
in favor OF a primary system. and thel
request the Legislature to make effec
tive such declaration. on tho contrary
ii provided for its own election ma
chnery and methods. and specificall.
requested the Legislature to egalize tn
plan for which it so provided No
K an election has been he'd in any part o
M the State under our now legnlzed Demo
cratic plan, and ! ask, with the utmos
\ Difference and respect for tho opinion
OF those OF my brother Democrats VIII
advocate the enactment by the Iegisla
ture OF a primary law, II It be not RICH
and fair that the Democratic party plar
now legalized and safeguardcd by law
SHOULD be given at least ono fair tra
III State or general election before con
demnihs and repudIating it-before sub
sttutlng for 1t legislative plan which
however unpopular and Objectionable
might prove to be after n first triG
at this years primaries, would have to b