The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-06-07
The State Committee.

AS already announced, State Chairman
]. Taylor Ellyson has called meeting
of the Democratic Central Committee 70
be held in this city on the 18th instant
for the purpose of making arrangements
for the State Democratic primaries to
nominate candidates for tho United States
Senate and for State offices. Under the
plan adopted by the convention IN lDl,
the primaries must be held not more
than ninety days nor less than SIXTY
DAYS prior to tho general election, SO
that the date must be between August
Sth and September 9th.
When the committee meets. we hope
that the members will take such action
as may seem to them best to insure a
fair and honest election. We submitted
some remarks while back on this I'M
portant subject, and the Accomack News,
in commenting on them. says that IT
has always been in favor of the primary
election plan Of selecting candidates. be-
lievIng 1t to be, when fairly and honestly
conducted, the best system devised up
10 this time for such a purpose.
but" adds our noctcmporary, when it
falls into the hands of interruptions party
officials, as 1t has often done. and 1t
is controlled by them solely for selfish
or partisan purposes, with no regard lof
fairness or right, utterly ignoring me
Marty honor or welfare, and with no
respect whatever either for the public
interest or the rights Of individuals. or
of candidates whom they might not favor,
we know of no system under. thyho
condition but what would be preferable;
even the old convention or mass-lneetlnS
Man, with all its faults would be better
for whatever of rascality or of unfalrness
was planned at them, 1t was generally
carried out in the open, and an oppor-
tunity thus was given to expose. combat
and defeat 1t If possible. But with
such primary as indicated above inc
dirty work is done secretly. and the
result confirmed, with no chance what
ever either to expose tho methods or
to correct the evil and the only safe
guard for tho candidates themselves, for
the people, tho ,parts or the State, Is
to have such men at the head OF the
Marty organization Of both county ana
State the character of whom Will be n
guarantee against unfairness or fraud,
and which will insure the appointment
of honest and fair-rinded men only as
election OFFICIALS. tpIa Inc til'l''il'''S'i'
OF such men only tho party officials Of
state, county and district the charmen
and the committees under them. should
be held to strict account by tho people,
for no county chairman nor county com-
uitteernnn should consent to any man
serving rs election official in any dis
trict or Mt any precinct, whether his
own or not, whom he did not believe to
be absolutely fair and honest and above
trickery or fraud of any type"
The primary will be on trial this year;
the whole system will be put to the
test. If 1t be conducted In fairness and
honesty, tho people will like it and stand
by it and establish IT, no matter who
the nominees may be, but II by trickery,
fraud or what not. the primary DO made
10 defeat tho will of the majority, tho
system will receive q serious setback,
II I, does not receive It's death-bl
Let the members of the committee and
honest Democrats throughout all sec
tions cooperate in making this primary
in all respects worthy of the Virginia
Democracy. in making 1t so perfectly
fair and honest that there Will be no
ground even for suspicion. 1t is tho
Democratic plan, and Democrats are In
duty bound 10 sustain 1t.