The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-04-29
City Democratic Committee Will
Meet Tonight to Fin
Date.
SHORT CAMPAIGN POPULAR
Candidates and Voters Generally
Wish to Have 1t Ovcr-Peo-
pie Apathetic.

The City Democratic Committee will
meet in the assembly hail OF Murphy's
Hotel shortly after O'Clock this evening,
the session having been called by mem
bers who desire TO have the committee
take up the matter of date for the
primary to nominate two candidates for
the State Senate and five for the House
Of Delegates. The very calling of the
committee at this time is regarded as
conclusive of desire for n primary Mt
the earliest practicable moment after the
new voting ls:.s shall have been made
UP. A primary cannot be had until af-
ter May 4th. II being permissible up to
and including that date to pay 1906 poll
taxes in time to qualify 10 vote.
1t is contended by some that q primary
cannot or should not be had until after
the clerk has made up the new lists of
qualified voters and the same has been
printed. The clerk is allowed thirty days
within which TO do this, If he desires
that much time.
1t is understood. however, that the
voting list will be available before
the expiration of that period. In that
event the primary may be had In May,
but is it regarded as improbable that
ii will be before the first week in
June, possibly not until the 10th or
18th.
Will Fix Date.
The committee is expected to set
tic the date tonight and to appoint
the usual subcommittee TO draft
plan. Vacancies on the committee
due to designations, deaths or re-
rnovals from the city, will be filled as
usual on the recommendation of the
ward delegations. The committee con-
sists of thirtyhve members. five from
each ward. 1t has been so long time
since the committee had occasion to
meet. and so many changes have oc-
CURED since then that few are familiar
with the present personnel of the
body.
The reasons urged for an early pri-
mary are that the candidates gener-
ally wish to settle the matter, instead
of having a long and expensive cam
paign for the unremunerative office
sought, great sacrifice of time be-
ing required of those who consider
the honor worth canvassing for. An
other reason for pulling the fight Oft
early is that hundreds, not to say
thousands. will be going and coming
constantly later on. and large per-
centage of voters will be absent from
the city after June LIST attending the
exposition or employed here.
Then too the meeting of various
large bodies will be held in Richmond
during the summer. and it is desirable
to dispose OF politics and clear the
way SO that people can devote their
attention to other matters
Spirited Fight.
The fight for the two senatorships is
a spirited and uncertain one, there
being four candidates in the field The
friends of Hon. Il. c. Folkes are now
predicting that he will not only win,
but will lead the ticket. Mr.. Folkes
himself is making no prophecies. but
is emulating the ubiquitous and in
dustrious bee. He has served several
terms in the House, and is an expe-
rienced campaigner. Mr.. John g.
Minor is being declared by his friends
and admirers to be a sure thing for
one of the seats, but it should be
stated that the supporters of Messrs
ARTHUR G. Hartman and A. Beirne Blair
are equally confirmed in their faith
MI Hartman is an incumbent and prior
TO his present term in the Senate
served one term in the House He is
worker, not a speaker. and is making
an active canvass. Mr.. Blair served
term in thee Boarl. of Aldermen. and
vas 10Y a"liNc III lHal DOuy, ana, IN
deed, in all movements for the adj
Sancement of Richmond
DISTINGUISHED persons of political wis
dom do not hazard a prophecy as to the
outcome further than the prediction that
ahe result will be uncertain and close
For the House, Messrs. L. F. Cox. Eu-
gene c. Massie, r. T. Peyton, Jr.. ord
way Fuller and Harry C. Glenn, the in
cumbents, are all in the field for re-
election and there are several new COM
petitors. Mr.. r. n. Pollard. Mr. John j.
Blake. Captain John A. Curtis and Colonel
c. E. Wingo, are the new aspirants.
though Captain Curtis is an old cam
paigner 1t is generally believed that
one or more of the incumbents will be
defeated, but opinion varies as to who
viii draw the stay-at-home certificate.
1t has bonn remarked by several that no
one had been heard TO express himself
as TO his choice had left Captain Curtis
ont. The contest is young yet, and the
work of the aspirants may upset all cal
culatlals before the race is run and won.
The candidates admit that it is difficult
to arouse any enthusiasm in the cam
paien. the people being so absorbed in
business as TO be unusually apathetic
politically II is a hard matter 10 draw
a crowd for political rally, as expert
ence has demonstrated,