The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-05-22
SUNDAY, MAY 90, 1901.
The DUTY of Tuesday.

election principle have a most important
dutS, to discharge on next Tuesday IN
The matter OF selecting delegates to the
state Convention there are few contests.
ana If that were the only question In
yolved it would make little difference
whether or not Democrats voted in the
primary. But 1t has been decided TO
test in that election the sentiment or
Democrats OF this city on the subject
Of primary elections In general Each
and every voter who goes to the polls
will have an opportunity Of casting Il
ballot for or against the primary prlh-
chile There is sufficient reason to be-
ieve that the opponents will be actively
IN evidence on that occasion and will
poll their full strength It is apparent
therefore, that If the friends If the pri-
mary fail to9vote the opponents will win
their fight and 1t will go to the Stale
at large that Richmond IS opposed to
that method Of selecting candidates,
If So the fact will be a powerful weapon
In the hands oftthe opponents in all parts
Of the State, and 1t will be used for all
1t is worth.
The issue is squarely Joined. The Is
sue was raised, by the friends of the
primary. The gauntlet was thrown down
by them to their opponents, and, to use
a street phrase but a forceful phrase.
1t is up to the primary election advo-
Gates to discharge q sacred obligation
which they have taken upon themselves
and which they owe to the cause
1t is Il matter too serious to be trifled
with. The simple question is whether
or not the Democratic voters OF this
community are in favor of a primary
system of selecting candidates which re-
serves 10 themselves the power OF con-
trolling their affairs. or Of transferring
their rights and privileges and their po-
litical interests to band Of politicians
who in all political contests consider
their own interests first and employ
shrewd devices to promote their own
welfare at the expense Of the body po-
little These politicians make politics
their business. They study all the tricks
Of the trade; they make and put into
operation their own machinery, and If
they be given the opportunity to manipu-
late they can snap their fingers at the
every contest
We are not raising false alarm; we
are not talking about vague theories: we
are talking about facts which every
man who knows anything about the
methods Of machine politics knows to be
facts. If there is to be a full and fair
expression of the popular will lin party
contests, we must have tho prlamry.
1t Is not an experiment. We have given
the ward meetings'Land tho courthouse
conventions and iii Sorts of mass meet
ngs trial after trial and we know from
sad experience that they can be man.
iruated and that they are manipulated to
defeat the popular Will We have also
given the primary n fair trial and we
know that where 1t Is fairly and honestly
conducted II does give the people an OPP
portunity to express their choice in spite
of the machinery and trickery or the
politicians.
AS we'll talk about abolishing the reg
ular elections and settling all questions
In issue by mass meetings as to talk OF
abolishing the primary and settling our
party disputes by such assemblies. If
the election principle is right and desira-
BILE, 1t is right and desirable to apply that
principle in all sorts of popular contests.
1t Is we'll established principle OF
Democracy and of our form of govern
mcnt that each qualified clector shall
have the same power In voting contests |
that any other elector has There is
no respecter of persons. When the voting |
privilege has been conferred the bene-
ficiary becomes sovereign and one |
mans vote counts for as much as any
other mans vote. no more aud no less.
In every honestly conducted election each
sovereign voter Is the peer of every other
sovereign voter, The ballot Of the poor
man counts for as much as the ballot
Of the rich man; the ballot OF the weak
man counts for as much as the ballot
OF the strong man, 1t is in consequence
matter Of supreme Importance TO the
poor man and to the weak man that
all popular contests of whatever charac-
ter shail be decided by ballot. and II is
incomprehensible that the poor and the
weak should ever be willing TO surren-
der their right to vote. The ballot is the
only sure means that such men have 10
express their choice; their only sure
weapon of defense. The election whether
It be regular election or primary
election, is tho only scheme that has been
devised TO Put the poor and the weak
upon an equal footing win the rich and
strong.
Fellow citizens OF Richmond, you viii
have an opportunity on Tuesday 10 say
whether or not you are in favor OF deter
mining 'all questions Of political inter
ests by the simple, direct, Democratic
method OF voting by ballot. or of com
rnitt!ng your affairs to unwleldiy mass