The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-06-10
Primary Elections
NY LEWIS II. NIACHEN.
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II 81 :
In two preceding articles II has been
country, fromBcr,ldc and Irregular be-
ginnings, have undergone an evolution
and have attained Il growth which
demonstrates the advantages of primary
elections over every other method oil
making nominations. The final step
OF tho States, ana II has placed pri-
n,arics upon purely legal basis. aud
surrounded them with tho game sane
lions and safeguards that apply to-
general elections. That step has not
yet been taken In Virginia. but 1t Is
believed that The sentiment OF tile
masses of the Democratic party IN the
State Is Overwhelmingly In tlint tllrcc-
ton.
IL the Roanoke convention IS re-
sponsive to THIS sentiment II will tcall
upon the Legislature to legalizc the
primary at its next session.
The theory upon which d STATE mi,y
provide for n legal primary Is tiiat
tho great majority of the officers
chosen by popular vote to serve the
| State must first be nominated by tho
party.
In most sections Of tho state tic
nomination Is equivalent to an cleo
ton. and the primary. and not the
these officers shall be. The whole
State. therefore. and members Of all
parties have an interest in tho nonli-
nations OF ft men by a proper method
! If irregularities or corruption occur
| In primaries. honest candidates will be
at disadvantage, and there will br
less likelihood of the selection OF
proper officers to serve tho State.
| Therefore. the state may and should
ton of tit men by proper methods.
WHY IT Is True.
Tho Constitution recognized this
right and imposed It's exercise upon
| tho part of the Legislature as duty
The Legislature has not performed this
duty in an effective manner. but has
| contented Itself with a general declar-
alton that primaries should be regular
and pure. without providing ma
chinery by which that regularity and
1 purity might be guaranteed. The re-
suit has been what might have been
| expected. Primaries have continued to
be hopeiessly irregular and. as reports
say, In many cases shamefully impure
The reasons for this condition are
not far to seek. The details of the
/ plan are in large measure left to the
| caprice of partisan committees. They
may juggle the date of the primaryto suit
their favorites. They may place the
assessments so high as to discoura &C
the opposition.
They may select special Judges
known to be INSCRIPTIONS adherents
!. of one candidate. They may refuse tc
friends in the polling places to insure
a fair count. They may hear anc
i determine contests in preiudicet
spirit They have no official responsi
bilty and can be held to no legal ac.
countability.
On the other hand. they may act Will
perfect fairness, and unauestionabls
many committees do so act. but the OPP
portunity and the temptation exist t
do otherwise.
Should nc Forbidden.
Many practices have grown up ii
connection with primaries which shoul,
be forbidden by law. In many case
the ballots are privately prepared an,
are not official. They are often markc,
openly and with the assistance of per
sons working for one OF the candidates
This method presents unlimited oppor
tunities for coercion and corruption
The election may or may not be he'll
at the regular voting places. and voter
may find that the polls have bee
moved miles away from the rcgula
voting points without notice.
BY multiplying precincts In one coun
ty and diminishing them in others tn
I vote in those counties may be increase
or decreased to the benefit of one can
, didate and the injury of another.
Perhaps the worst feature OF the un
: legalized primary is the fact that n
matter how gross may be the fraud
committed there Is no Jurisdiction /
any court to hear contest. to ordc
a recount Of the ballots or to chang
the result in any particular. Their
is no legal requirement that the ba
lots and poll books should be pre-
T served, and without them 1t would i
practically impossible to discover fraut
: committed in the polls. The Judge
Z know this. They are not sworn off
! GERS. and they may be unscrupulo,
partisans.
8 1t is a we'll known fact that pa
: tisan committee is a poor body for II
), decision of questions of fact affectll
q their favotite candidates Upon leg
: questions their judgments are like
: to be both partial and incompeten
: The upshot of the whole matter
$ that there is every opportunity II
= fraud and corruption to be practice
y and no likelihood that they will be al
- covered, their perpetrators punisht
= or the results OF the corrupt electi,
Il disturbed.
Question of ASSIGNMENTS.
- In comparison with these evils Il
il question Of assessments upon the ca
,e didates is small matter. Yet in itse
Id 1t is a matter of great Important
le The Legitimate rewards of office In t
d State are exceedingly small. The dit
y. Guilty OF securing men of good abili
~ and high character to lay aside Tho
50 private business and engage in pub
!, affairs is sometimes great. If they a
II to be taxed highly for the privilet
= besides having to bear tho other c
penses of a campaign. many good IN
of moderate means will refuse to oft
!, . as candidates. The State, which is
10 receive the benefit OF their servf
n should, as far as possible, bear t
be- burden Of the expense. Tie count
eir and cities would not feel the cost
ne the primary and the relief to the ca
~ didates would be very great.
~. Tho fight for legalized primaries
Ter going; forward In many States of I