The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-01-23
GREATLY
SURPRISED
Virginia Representatives Pleased
With Lcgalized Primary Bill
q Passed by Legislatures
AN AMENDMENT SUGGESTED
.Mr. Jones Wishes to Provide
That Candidate May Have
Friend Inside Voting Place.
From our Regular Correspondent

(Trom our Regular Corrcspondent)
"A WASHINGTON, D. c., January GA
member of the Virginia delegation has
made the surprising discovery that the
General Assembly at tho last session
passed law legallzlng all primary cleo
lions In Virginia, held In accordance
with tho plan adopted by any OF the
political parties. 1t is believed that there
are but very few people who know
that such law was enacted. The cdl-
torIal In Tho Times Dispatch OF yestcr-
day, commenting on the primary laws
or Mississippi and louisiana, and cx-
\ pressing the wish that there was Eeri-
era lcgalized primary law IN Virginin,
was read and commended by the MEM
bers OF Congress from Virginia, and an
hour or, two later one Of them received
from a friend in the Virginia Senate
copy OF the law as passed BY the last
&, Legislature. i1
+ THE LAW.
The act is on pagt.?33. acts OF Assci1,-
bly,. and reads as folloWs'
Section 122 subdivision, i: No person
shall vote Mt any legaizcd primary
election for the nomination OF any calif
didatc for office unless he Is at tho time
registered and qualified to vote at the
next succeeding election.
". In all cases where, by iE plan OF or
ganization or otherwise, any politica!
party In this state requires it's candidates
to be nominated By primary elections
such elections shall be conducted by the
Judges and clerks. or other officers uesig-
mated by The proper committee or either
Tor ~ ofI mi y rt,r n MI a
under such rules regulations and re-
qulrements as may be prescribed In TIE
plan adopted by such party. OK
10 All laws intended to secure the reg
uarity and purity Of, general and local
elections, and tor punish any corrupt
practices In connection Herewith, and the
Z penalties and punishments now OF hero
after prescribed BY law for such oirenses.
shall, so far as they may be applicable.
apply to all primary elections. whether
the same be held under any statute law
OF this State, or under plan provided
by some political party"
APPROVE THE LAW.
The members OF the Virginia delegation
have ali. With the exception OF Mr..
Rixey, who could not be seen to-day a.
pressed themselves. as heartily approving
tho law, though the utmost surprise Is
expressed that the fact OF Its passage
;was not sooner known. None OF the
members was more delighted than Mr.
Jones, who is In one sense tho father OF
the primary system In Virginia, having
made the first fight for It when nc
sought to have the candidate for the
United States Senate selected In a party
primary through resolution for which
he made strong fight at the Roanoke
convention In 1897. Mr.. Jones drew the
IL, hv. tho o
vention ut Norfolk. though Mr.. Hay Is
the author OF the amendment requiring
that congressional candidates shall be
chosen In n primary.
Mr.. Jones pointed out to-day that
many OF the papers OF the State ana
people who are most in. favor OF the
primary system have failed to MAKE
themselves clear In discussing the cues
ton. They have expressed desire FOR
a primary Law enacted by the General
Assem- bly,. whereas the State CONVEX
tion which adopted the primary plan
called upon the Legislature to mako the
plan then adopted legal. The Legislature
had always failed to do this. though
the trainers OF the present Constitution
nut into the organic law a provision
that the General Assembly should have
the power to lcgallze such primary cleo
tions. There have been several bills intro
duced providing for, a plan OF primary
election, but sit was not d plan that
was needed. The plan bad been furnished
by the Democratic State convention ana
/, the Legislature was expected only to
mako the plan legal and throw about It
the safeguards which arc thrown around
State elections.
This has now been done. and tho re-
suits is law which slll perhaps PROV"
S 80 n
party In Virginia. as It Is emlnently
so to the Democratic members OF Con-
gress from the State. lii
a SUGGESTS AMENDMENT.
II think that In one respect the plan
should be modified said Mr., Jones to-
day, land that is with regard to tho
location OF the voting places. II nobody
I else does, ! shall offer an amendment ut
the next State conventions, II ! am a
member OF that body. providing that the
voting shall be IN an open and accesslple
place and that each candidate voted
Tor shall have friend inside the voting
place II he desire, to remain until the
vote is counted"
Mr. Jones also thought 1t would be
we'll, probably, to have the present plan
amended SO as to provide that the voting
need not be by the viva voce method
in local contests, Including those oyer
county offices and seats In the Leglsla-
ture. He thought that the objection TO
the omen method OF voting was chiefly
due TO the dislike OF the people TO
choosing publicly as between friends who
were candidates for the same office,
Now that there Is localized prl-
mary plan in the State, It Is Of great i'm
portance that the next State convention
cure all the irnperfectlons which have
been found In the plan after ono trial, It
is believed that the viva yoce feature
is nearly the only one which has been
discovered.
/ Visible Cotton Supply.