The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1906-06-26
THE PRIMARY AND THE NE\T
STATE CONVENTION

to come nclOftll lOI 'VlSiuVi l'h
will be the question ofcOntinulng the
primary system now in vogue in this
State. This newspaper has always
doubted the eXpcdiency OF the step
which gave Us the primary. We
doubt it even more at the present
time. 1t means practically two
elections in every instance where we
used to have one. and it means ust
that more unrest. trouble. excite
ment and expense. In addition. the
primary. except it Toe in some Partlc-
ularlv warm contest, does not al
WAYS reflect the true sentiment oil the
people any more than the old con
yention used to do. and as a matter
of fact it is hard to point out IN
what respect it has advantages over
the old system. while there are many
potent Disadvantages. Its chlei
drawback. though by no means It's
only one. is the expense attached. as
evidenced by the money expended 10y
Messrs. Martin. Montague, Swanson.
Willard and Mann, and there seems
little reason to expect that this ex-
nanse can be decreased. The plan OF
having men serve as election officials
without pay has absolutely failed, a.
was natural To expect. and the prl-
mary instead of becoming less costly
will in all probability become
more so as the system grows older.
In addition to the expense, the sys-
TEN means too many elections. and
consequently too much unrest
among the people. Its perpetuation
will necessarily result in loss OF i'll
terest among business people and the
field will be left to the professional
politicians. who will lose no time
in building up a frst-class political
machine, which will exist because the
people of the State will have no time
to expend in accomplishing Its de-
struction. A sad lack of interest,
for instance. was displayed in nearly
every county and city in this dis
trict as regard the latecongreSsional
primary, the counties OF Spotsyl-
vania. Essex. York and Others furn-
ishing satisfactory proof that the
system does not appeal to the peo-
pie. The matter is serious one and
deserves serious consideration. which
we doubt not the next convention
will give it. Time alone will tell
whether Virginia Democrats prefer
the primary system TO the old one.
but good guesser would perhaps
hazard guess on a return to the
former method.
The bill appropriating $4,000
annually for the Presidents travel
ling expenses passed the Senate Fri
day, but not without outspOken OPP
position, mixed with merriment and
Iaughable suggestions. Mr.. Nc
Laurin, of Mississippi, suggested
that Bryan will have an opportunity
for using the fund, while Senator
Morgan pictured liveried retainers in
gay cOlors to entertain royalty at
catching live wolves. Yet the bill
was passed by over two to one, and
so hereafter the President will travel
at public expense in a private train.
Lynchburg following the example
OF Richmond and Norfolk. is consid-
ering the question of taking into her
corporate limits a part Of Campbell
county, which will add 5000 people
to her population and several mil
lions of taxable property to her
wealth. If this annexation is &C
complished, Lynchburg will by the
next census have population OF
some $4,000. May the greatest
prosperity attend the Hill City OF
our great and growing Common
wealth.
Mr.. Bryan voices public feeling
when he declares against the trusts
of the country, which are eating out
the substance of the people. This,
Mr.. Bryan says, is not new declara-
ton or "a change of dOctine by him,
but it is q statement on his part OF
public sentiment which demands
that the combinations be broken up
1t will be "A popular plank in the
Democratic platform in the next
presidential campaign.
After the feat of Senator Morgan
in the United States Senate the
other day, DR.. Osler might change
his mind as to chloroforming men at
a certain age. The Senator was 81
years of age on that day and made
a speech of two hours length advo
eating a sea level canal. He showed
the same fiery zeal on that occasion
as he has on many formerimpOrtant
occasions.
A prominent Russian jew, who in
vestigated the question OF immigra
ton, says that more than a millioT
Russian, Romanian and Galiciar
Jews have landed in this country il
the last quarter of a century, look