The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-07-06
mr.. MEREDITH
ON HIS PLAN |: |. \
Makes Strong Plea for Appoint
il1ent Of One Judge BY Rep
rcscntative Citizens.
is NOT A REFLECTION
lie Declares That the Movement
Is in the Interest Of Fairness
and Public Confidence.

The City Democratic Committee will, at
its meeting Friday night further consider
and perhaps dispose OF tho proposition
submitted by Mr.. G. V. Meredith at tho
last meeting. providing for the selection
of one Judge from each precinct In the
approaching senatorial primary by three
representative citizens, two OF them Mar
tin men and one n Montague man.
| Tho design of the movement inaugu-
rated by Mr.. Meredith Is to throw around
the primary, which involves such impor-
| tant public interests, this added safe
| guard to insure It's absolute fairness and
to strengthen public confidence. Mr.. Mer-
| edith last night gave to a Tines Dispatch
reporter statement urging the adoption
| of his plan and criticlslng the objections
! to 1t.
Mr. Meredith said: Some persons have
the City Committee Mt Its last meeting,
| that three honorable and trusted citizens,
two of them supporters OF Mr.. Martin,
ey the eonp er
mary There has been but one objection
made to 1t. There Is no objection 20 is
| fairness. It opposers ignore that view;
be considered by fair-minded men. There
is no objection to It's feasibility. because
every man knows that 1t could be easily
| uOuc. mere IL IA no ODJeCtlOU 10 II Oh
the ground that il would not give any
| assurance Sof an honest election. ifor
every sensible man knows that it would
ens N6ST fea Ar e 1TeY YTs f fsarH
The only objection offered" Mr.. Mere
dth continued, us that It reflects upon
T., the integrity Of the committee One
might magns the Is
some, that the request had been
made Of some religious convention or.
| synod. when in truth 1t was made to q
political body many of,whose members
wires Of this city. 1t II silly, II not
hypoeritlcal. for any man to pretend to
thing that partisanry does not enter into
political body. No sensible member OF
that committee, nor any. partisan sup
porter on the outside. viii deny that
many of the members OF any political
organization are apt to be SO imbued
with that spirit as to warp their judg-
ment or sense Of fairness !, This probab!l-
ty Is expressed mildly as possible
spirit In or out of the City Committee
and not with any hope or desire to
please of placatc any hypocrite., who
secret desire, that the majority Of the
committee will use It's power to advance
the cause Of such candidates as 1t may
THE plea of reflection upon ones in
tegrity can be SO easily assumed, In
order to hide a purpose to commit fraud
that truly sensitive man would be
SO manfestly fair, than he would be to
reject It.
But simple Statement Of a piece
Of political history in this. State Will
ted to the City Committee was no so
from those who are pure in heart and
Let It be remembered that the City
Committee was, and ls not asked to ap-
point any judge In favor of any candi-
d ,i or faction, nor to allow any can
allow three honorable citizens, two of
them supporters of Mr.. Martin, to select
Judge for each precinct.
THE NORFOLK COUNTY MATTER.
The scrap of history just alluded to is
as follows: There are two factions in
Norfolk county--one known as the Fu-
sionists. composed Of negroes. white Re
other as the Stralghtouts, who oppose all
coalition with negroes and white Rcpub-
leans. The Stratghtouts were and are
Fusionsts petitIoned the State Committee
to ignore the regular county committee
and virtually to take charge of the com
Ing primary In that county. When the
weeks ago. the chairman Of the regular
Norfolk County Committee insisted that
the Fusionists had no cause to fear un-
TO friend that he was perfectly willing,
IN order to give a reasonable guarantee
Of fair election, to agree that the
busionists might name Judge in each
precinct in Norfolk county, provided that
he should have assurance that his offer
would be accepted by the State Commit
Of th as u1o na aq nean1n Of the petition
a conference, had by the chairman Of
the regular committee Of Norfolk county
with Senator Martin. at the senator's
request. the offer was accepted. 1t was
passed overwhelmingly. IL not unanimous
~, by the State Committee.
MOTT A REFLECTION.
the Fusonlsts by the State Committee,
Did the State Committee or Senator
Martin think that a, reflection was thereby,
] think not Was the offer of the chair
man of the Norfolk County Committee
reflection upon himself or his committee?
Or was it a liberal offer of an honorable
ton? He made tho offer. although he
had reason to believe that the State
Committee would never have lowered
titioned for by the Fuslonsts. He made
the offer, although he had been advised
5y his C. counsel that, should the State
in all probability got redress from the
courts under the statutes Of Vlrglnia.
He made the offer to give assurance
that the election would be fairly conduct
ed, AS his counsel. advised him to
make the offer. AS q citizen OF Rich
mond, ! asked and still ask the City
Committee to pursue a course not half
as liberal. -
THE Fusonists We're given the rights
to select for themselves a judge in each
precinct In Norfolk county. In Rich
nond, the committee Is asked not 10
name judge n tho Interest of MR.
dldate, nor to let any candidate name
q judge, but to allow three honorable
citizens. two OF them supporters of Mr..
cinct. -
Looking at the fairness of the re-
quest, looking at the action of the party
managers as above, stated, the plea OF
OK rnmelY ndaservlnf,. az halinI .'tn,sNN.So-