The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-06-10
AS
TO THE PRIMARY A :|.Y
Politicians Are Guessing When
Candidates Will Be Non1i-
mated.
COMMITTEE COMM 1 NEXT WEEK
Thursday Evening Fixed for
State Executive Body to
Decide Matter.
COMMITTEE

Some quiet speculation is now being
INDUCED among local politicians or sup
porters Of tho various candidates for
State Offices and United States Senate
! as to- the probable date Of the primary
Tho Democratic State Central Committee
will meet at Murphy's Hotel next Thurs
day evening to fix the date for the pri-
mary, assess tho candidates for the OK
pense Of conducting the election and ar
range for all the other details.
Under the Limitations Of the primary
plan, the primary cannot be held earlier
than August 9th (ninety days before the
general election), nor later than Septem-
Der 9Th, sixty days before the regular
election. In those years inttWhlch only
a senator is nominated Qn 10l1, for In
stance), tho primary, according to the
plan, must be held on the first Thurs-
day in September.
Under the terms Of the plan. August
eth, Wednesday, is the earliest possible
date on which tho primary can be held.
September 9th is the latest date on which
it may be held. If it were held on the
earliest date, there would be left just
two months in which tho candidates may
present their claims The campaign was
opened early, and has been q great strain
on the physical and mental powers Of
the can1paigners, Sixty days will proba-
bly, be about as much more Of this siren
uous life as they will wish Already dates
are being suggested, and the earliest
practicable date seems to be preferred.
Some have suggested Saturday, August
lent date for tho |citles. Thursday, Au-
gust 10th, has been suggested by some.
Thursday, the 24th; Tuesday, the I'D
or Tuesday, the Goth. are also possible
dates.
If the rural members OF the state
Committee prefer a Saturday and an
early date, Saturday, August 18th, will
probably be selected The date question
is likely$to consume more time than any
thing else.
How They Will Contribute
In fixing the primary fee to be as
sessed for payment Of the expenses Of
the election.sit will be necessary to as
certain approximately what 1t will cost
to hold the primary. Then the sum Will
be made up, in all probability by an
assessment representing an agreed per-
centage OF the entire salary of the office
for the whole term or for one year. Nat
urally those receiving the largest salaries
will be called upon to bear a heavier
burden than9those whose Offices are not.
lucrative. In the same way. those seek
ing a six }year8tenure will be called upon
to pay more than those who hold Office
for but fouril years. ~
1t is not definitely announced whether
those candidates forG State elective Of
fees. who have no opposition, will be
called upon to pay part of the expense
Of the primary: Notice OF candidacy
must be given in$wrlting at least thirty
days before the date of the primary
BY the senatorial candidates and the
aspirants for the State elective Offices.
1t will not be positively known until
thirty days prior to the urinary, there
fore, whether or$not any candidate has
opposition. All may develop opposition;
before then, or contingencies may arise
which will eliminate some candidate
from the field before that time. The
committee whenSit meets next Thurs
day, cannot assume that any candidate
will be unopposed until the time of an
2nouncing candidacy expires by limita-
ton. 1t would seem, therefore. that the
committee would have to conditionally
assess those candidates who are now
unopposed In the event any candidate
is llnopposod. it is questionable whether
(, ;r rot he is liable to assessment. The
assessment is tospay the expenses OF
the primary. ] heeis not candidate in
the primary. he would not be liable
to assessment, unless the committee shall
rule otherwise. 8