Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1905-06-08
THE PRIMARY.

For years the friends of pure and fair
politics in Virginia labored together for
the establishment of the primary plan
of selecting party candidates. 1t was
a long fight, but the primary was final
ly victorious, and this year it is to be
put on trial. The convention plan was
Objectionable for the reason that it de-
prived the people of the right of voting
direct for the nominees and again be-
cause it was at least possible to manip-
ulate conventions in such way as to
defeat the popular will. The voters of
Virginia were also DESTROYS of having
the opportunity of expressing their
choice of candidates for the United
States Senate.
This year Democrats will have the
privilege of going to the polls and vot-
ing direct by secret ballot for party can
didates for all State offices, as well as
for the candidate for the United States
Senate. Whether or not this system
will be continued will depend very large
ly upon the manner in which the pri-
maries this year are conducted. The
system is on trial and will be put to the
test. If the primaries are honestly
and fairly conducted and the vote hon
estly and fairly counted and returned,
the primary will be an established in
stitution and will abide. But if sharp
practice is employed, if by trickery or
fraud or manipulation or any other
dishonest method, the primaries are
conducted in such way as to defeat
the will of the people, the system will
receive setback, if not its deathblow.
The primary is on tria&, and the good
name of the Democratic party of Vir-
GINA is at stake. There can be no sort
of excuse or pretext for trickery or
cheating. 1t is a family fight, con-
test among gentlemen, and it would be
an everlasting disgrace to the party if
the election should be tainted with
fraud. In the name of Virginia De-
mocracy, in the name of pure politics
and honest government, in the name Of
Southern honor and chivalry, let US
have an election that shall be fair and
honest and above suspicion. Richmond
Times Dispatch.
Sometimes our Democratic friends
are offended when we charge that the
Virginia Democracy have so long prac-
ticed fraud against the Republicans
that the Democrats have acquired a
fixed habit for cheating, even in con-
tests between themselves. That we
have not accused them falsely has been
proved by the grave apprehension the
Democratic newspapers are now ex-
hibiting as to what will be shown by
the coming primary. Recently the
Roanoke Times had an article in which
it expressed much qualification over the
fact that "salutary safeguards" had
been Incorporated in the primary plan
to prevent frauds. Now the Times
Dispatch is showing fear that even
those "salutary safeguards" will not be
sufficient to prevent frauds at the pri-
mary, that may blemish ''the good name
of the Democratic party in Virginia.
Our Richmond contemporary says:
eff the primaries are honestly and
fairly conducted and the vote honestly
and fairly counted and returned the
primary will be an established institu-
ton and will abide" Why this doubt
on the part of our Richmond contem-
porary as to what methods will prevail
in the primaries? There can be but
one cause for the fear of the Times
Dispatch, and that is conviction that
the party has become so corrupted by
fraudulent elections practices that it
will be difficult to eliminate the corrupt
disposition of those who may partici-
pate in the primaries in many sections
Of the State.
Our contemporary says: "fhere can
be no sort of excuse or pretext for
trickery or cheating" This is an adj
mission that the Democrats have here
tofore set up an excuse or pretext for
cheating Republicans. That excuse Or
pretext was thought sufficient for COM
hitting every conceivable fraud when
the Republicans were the sufferers.
Now the Democratic party will be ever
lastingiy disgraced if the primary l
should be tainted with fraud.
We call attention to an editorial pabs :
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