The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-06-28
49,
LEGALIZED PRIMARY.

Our Washington ! correspondent
quotes a prominent Virglnian as saying
that a bill had been drafted and would
be introduced at the next session of
the General Assembly providing for
State primary law for the selection
of candidates for office, the expense of
conducting such election to be paid out
of the State treasury.
1t is further stated that the bill will
be introduced by one OF the best
known and most influential members
OF the lower House, who has seldom
failed to push through any measure
he espoused.
We suppose that the personal refer
ence is to Hon. r. E. Byrd, of Win
chester. AT any rate. it is Mr. Byrd's
purpose to introduce such bill At
the recent meeting of the Virginia
Press Association. he read a paper
on the subject, in which he outlined
the plan which he has in mind. He
said that he favored general law
designating particular day upon
which all parties should hold pri-
maries, the expenses of the election to
be pSid by the State
THE present plan of assessing can
didates thousands Of dollars for the
mere privilege of being a candidate
for a party nomination Is as bad as
it could well be" said Mr.. Byrd. III
IS in effect ant exclusion of men OF
moderate neans from the more i'm.
portant Offices
aside from the fact that the in.
heritance of money, or the ability tt
acquire or command it, does not neces
sarily constitute statesman. popu.
lar government Is based upon equalit,
OF political opportunity.
"a method of nomination which i
professedly intended to enlarge tn
political rights of citizens does no
do what il processes when 1t conflne
the people to choice of a few self
announced candidates who can pay 70
the privilege of a candidacy.
Such q system. If persisted il
would soon create an oligarchy base
upon wealth, In which the eligible
would be rich men or the unliverie
servants of rich mon.
"Froude. in that wonderful work {
his, The Life of Caesar says that Il
Roman Constitution persisted becaus
the Senate lad become an oligarch,
And this came about because, thong
in theory the Senate was open to a
citizens, in fact 1t was reached by SUI
cessve elections to Offices which /,
volved enormous expenditures, and Il
Senate became rich mans club.
II do not believe that the poop
OF Virginia viii long tolerate a meth
xNf ,y,,t ~ Ia, ,vt.4 {, a.
of preferment in the face OF eve
poor man.
IF rid of this objection. and II sol
arrangement be made whereby ma,
friends and supporters could put II
in nomination for Il primary can,
dacy. the primary system prcseI
great advantages. / think Il Is /,
to expect volunteers to do the VIC
for nothing. There could be no prol
basis of selection Of Judges or cler
and no serious business can dope
long upon purely volunteer charity.
Mr.. Byrd did not Indicate whe,I
or not he proposed to make SUCH
law compulsory. We are opposed
compulsory law. We think that O.
party should have the option of choos
its own plan Of making nominate
but IL the primary be adopted. The pr
should be required TO hold It un
the legeli2ed plan, and the cost sho
be paid by the government. We
not sure, however. that the money
defray such expenses should come
of the State treasury, 1t Seems
ue that st would be better 10 have
expense betrayed by tap several &C
ties and cities. as. in the case of n
Il l4saf!ections II not, why not?
II 7--=----=-
CHARACTER IN COUNT.
Judge Barksdale ruled. In the
o. the State US. Loving, now on
at Houston. that the prosecution a