The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-06-17
Legalized Primary.

the primary election shall be held, Thu
candidates know Just how many work
ing days they have before them. and i
Is quite certain that they and Their
working friends will endcnvor to improv,
each shining hour
| The campaign from now on will doubt.
less be warmer and work more vigorously
pushed than heretofore, II possible. II
has developed that there Is plenty OF ma.
terinl to work upon, for one Of the feat
urcs of the campaign Is the changeabc
condition OF tho minds of the voters.
1t is family fight, and party doctrines
| and fundamental principles are not an
Issue. In the main. the candidates are
! agreed along these lines, anu other qies-
| lions purely within party lines and Of a
personal nature form the issues. Mary
Of these nrc questions that involve no
special political principles and upon which
n voter may properly enough change his
views several times before election day.
For these reasons the trained politl-
clans who are In tho habit of ferecasting
results far ahead OF an election are per-
fectly at sea. They may think they have
accurately summed up the situation in n
given district one week only 10 find sec
ond review Of tho field week or ten
days later revealing new and unex-
pectcd condition.
Information reaching us from all parts
tof the State confirms the View that moro
In, t,,+o Il.
and the indications now are that larger
percentage of the qualified voters will
be present at the polls on election day
than is usual in Virginia elections. Ii
is true that this interest had not been
aroused to such n pitch previous to tho
9Th Of May, thct last day IN which reg
istered voters could fully qualify them
selves by paying their poll taxes ara
many Indifferent or impecunious Demo-
Gratis, otherwise quallncl failed to per-
form this absolutely necessary duty
but they are not now without interest
and are not only regrettlng their failure
pay up at any sacrifice, bu. are trying
to make amends by working all the more
diligently for the candidates of their
choice.
The unusual interest manifested may
be taken as strong evidence showing the
popularity Of the primary system. The
campaign has thus far undoubtedly DEM
5onstratcds that the people are pleased
with the idea OF selecting their candi
dates by this method, but the fear has
been generally expressed that the cost
ITO the candidates Of a State primary will
be SO great as to finally overcome the
present popularity of the plan. Those
who entertain and have expressed tins
fear will be startled when they learn
of the real cost as figured out by the
State committee at-ther meeting Thurs
day night. But few OF them had dream
ed that it would be such heavy burden
on the candidates as to practically ex-
cludo men of limited means from future
races for the higher offices.
This then is an evil that must be over
come IN some way, for the people will
not now take a step backwards. 1t has
been demonstrated In local communities
hIitttG tiiS SlSSlioii i5Nilil lIS uoc4
of the secret ballot is the one fair and
just way to select the peoples candidates.
and If we read tho signs OF the times
Alright, the people of Virginia do not In
tend 10 surrender It.
1t would seem that for the privilege OF
selecting in this direct and only abso.
lutely fair manner the candidates of their
choice, enough patriotic men might be
found In every community to do the work
of election officers without charge, but
those who have had local experience In
primaries say this is impractlcable. What
then is the remedy? We must have the
legal primary ana now Is the time for
the people to instruct their representa-
tives IN the Legislature to make the
primary legal election, held under
good ana carefully prepared act OF
Assembly
The expense should be provided for by
The towns and counties, and thus In the
end tho burden would be borne by the
people in whose interest the primaries
are to be held. The proper county or
lOWl OlbCtIS tptllu IN tIlc IluSF. Di' cleC'.
ton Judges and clerks for their re-
spcctivc communities. and the amount
would hardly be missed from the county,
city and town treasures.
This to us seems to be the remedy, |
and It is time enough yet for the people
TO instruct candidates for the next |
Legislature accordingly, Let them do so
during the remaining days OF the cam
paign, and let us have before another
or State election the prIvi-
lege Of selecting candidates by a legal
lied primary, the expense of which shall. |
be paid out Of the county. town and
city treasures, and not BY the candi-
dates,
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United Valley and Tidewater.
In another column We print u letter