The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-08-08
Tueseay, August 8, 1905
rgITTICs IN A MIDDLE.

Politics in Richmond, Va, must be |
in a pretty bad way. Under the head
ing: NO Bolt-Yet" The News-LSader
discusses the state of affairs. 1t says 1t
is +yo early total K Of a bolt from the
democratic primary election in that
city and of running independent candl-
dates. That, it says, should be consld-
cred the last extremity after all otner
means to secure a fair electiea and cor
rect announcement of the votes as cast
have been exhausted. The people are
discussing &ow Far they y bound by
q primary after it has bean proved te
be Observation-Disclosures That paper
seems to think that the party In the
city is in a pretarious situation u
that uaIsess the people are made to pc
lieve the primary will be fairly held
there are going to be squally times. In
discussing the situation The News
Leader says:
In any case the Richmond city com
mitta.e should realize that 1t Is Iaclns
a. crisis. 1t can restore or 1t can de-
stroy confidence in the democratic or
~gani1ation here. 1t can Keep the Deo'
ple true to the or~ganization or ~drlVe
them put of it angry and eager 1ol
vergeance. An ;ndependent move
merit began and made respectable II
Richmond would spread fast through
the state. The committee. if 1T VII
take hold in earnest and with homes
purpose ito undo any wrong that ma!
have been lone. to correct any MUS
tice. to give us hereafter election OF
officers who will the conn
deasce of; the community in their intel
Iigence and integrity. it will do ava;
with all .he trouble and remove al
danger of a bolt. If it acts otherW1s'
it Will bring on the party conse
uuences which it is not pleasan: q
consider. The people Of Richmond d
not want to bolt n they Will not noi
If they have reason to nope that Tn
democratic organization. through u
representatives, will give them fair pla
and the opportunity to express thel
viii inside the party lines ana unde
its rules. At.the same time. Ut may a
we'll be taken as a fact that n
and thousands Of good men Will nc
siay in party under which they be
liaye their votes are stolen and thel
will is perverted. Let h people wa
Until the grand Jury has acted ana re
rorted. and then see what the CIT
committee Will do. we nave Sttoli
hone that the committee. in view {
the facts already kncWn and to be dc
yeIoped by the present Investigation
will rise to the occasion and ador
measures which will make every dem
ocratic voter feel that his vote wi
go intn the box fairly and VIII r
counted as hc casts 1T.
When men tai part in a prlmar
election they are as a general rul
bound by fire result. There should t
no boiling by those who go into a pr
mary and lose. They are in homo
bound to abide by the result; but
such cases as the one discussed by tt
Richmend paper We do not think votel
should be forced by party fealty to SUI
port the nominees of the primary.
the elections were so fraudulent as
make them void we cannot see no
=. any man can be held bound to stand |
the nominees. Fraud in the primal
should be considered as relieving {
who tool part in it from having
support the nominees. But befo
adopting such extreme measure the e
istence OF fraud should be establish
beyond all doubt.