The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-05-12
Voice Of the People
,rilc vireinln primnry.

.rlic Virginia Primary.
Editor Of The Times D Dispatch:
Sir,--No Intelligent man OF woman
has ever l,ren able to present any
sood rea ,,s,,1 .ngainst the contention
voters can he shown.
This has properly como to be res
gardatl as an axiom, and IT has SO In
creased IN strength that now nhe-
tl,eir officers by means Of primary
election, ana tho principle is plainly
expanding on accotint Of It's true mcr-
It has obtained It's present command
Ing position over the most strenuous
opposition. Tic present Virginia pri-
mary has q most Significant history,
and is plainly the worst now In exist.
oncc IN the American Union
The true principles OF tic primary
have been distorted by designing Dem
ocratic politicians Of my own party.
Il Is the. ricl, mans primary. and as
baa az ,ts can well be, Pvt az no.,
rs as II is in Its present condition (and
IT could not we'll be woise). II Is far
better and far preferable to the old
convention system.
prevent fraud In making nominations
under the old convention system. and
to go back to 1t would be like going
back to barbarism.
The remedy for the present Virginia
primary Is perfectly plain and simple.
It is nothing more nor less than for
the. state OF Virginia to levy tax
and pay all tile primary expenses Uf
both political parties.
Il have made a careful estimate of
the entire cost, and 1t will not amount
to more than $4,000 year. which Is
comparatively. small. 1t would be {,
print the method in, use in reference
to primaries in each Of the nineteen
States in advance OF the Roanoke con-
vention.
The The : present ss,an,, Virginia ,I system i'm
serving poor. which closes to them the
door of Office. and 1t was so intended.
the object Of the politicians being
to curtafl and narrow the office holding
class and thus avoid all possible com
petition.
Almost all Of the Congressman now
have themselves renominated for an
other tcrm very soon after they are
elected. they select q. time when the
people have had no time to consider
public questions.
This action will hold them In Office
indefinitely No poor man can afford
for United states senator, nor $1,000
to become a candidate for Governor
and the tax for many other Offices is
equally, prohibitive! The writer. while
n member of the State Senate in the
mental in conjunction with others IN
the preparation of a Bill which fairly
met the situation. 1t easily passed
one branch OF tile General Assembly
have passed the other. 1t was delayed
till the last day OF the session, and the
President of the Senate on THAT date
recognized only two gentlemen---frst
~ n TOW IN NUN II
Misunderstanding occupied the whole
time of the session. and no ruling could
be obtained from the President OF the
Senate to relieve the situation, al
made made : for that purpose. / make no no
charge against the President OF the
Senate. l only state facts from which
my readers can draw their own con-
bills was the result of deep-lali
scheme, and / am sure was engineered
by the same political leaders who
were able TO retain in their seats dur
gates from Norfolk city, although the
Democratic caucus by a signal ma
jcrity had voted against their reten-
ton Of THAR seats. to which they were
clearly not entitled.
The, Richmond Times-Dispatch has
braNely exposed state of facts rel
alive to the Norfolk election, which II
was almost sickening to contemplate.
l. ne polItlCd1 iedueES 10 WHOIll i nave
alluded held these delegates IN power
to the last hour of the legislative ses-
sion.
have long been satisfied that this
! was the same power which defeate
the primary bills during that session.
| The writer Is a true and loyal Demo-
crat. but lie does not believe that the
best interests of the party can be sub
served by the action Of the leaders
have mentioned
Our recent Constitutional Conven-
ton. while 1t did great good. was very
far from being the able body for which
| 1t has credit, and 1t committed a grave
error and opened wide the door to
fraud by requiring the capitation tax
to be prepaid In advance of the cleo
| ton. 1t gave over the State to the
control OF the county treasurers:
! Past bitter experience should have
| pointed out to the convention the un-
wisdom of this action. With the rich
mans primary and the prepayment OF
the capitation tax in advance. a GER
have been able to intrench themselves
lin power. They have closed the door
| to the aspirations of some of the ables'
men in Virginia. The earnest atten.
ton of the Roanoke Democratic Con
vention is invoked to the situation
| which has caused feeling Of unrest
all over the state, that bodies no goot
| to the continued success of the grand
old Democratic party. whose possession
of power should be dear to every lover
| liberty.
I The time is at hand for intelligen
reform. CAMM PATTERSON.
Buckingham Co.. Va, May 8, 1905.
I Whcrcf
If but one PRAYER We're granted. me
4 Not wealth I'd ask or joy or fame
; ho min