Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1908-05-29
HEAT IN THE PRIMARY.

matter of fact, cannot the CITIZEN re-
call that in the convention days similar
unpleasant conditions developed, only
very much worse? Does it recall the
scandals developed by precinct meet
ings notices for which were tackled on
trees SO high from the ground that no
man could read them unless he was on
top of wagon load of hay? Is it not
fact that nearly every convention was
preceded and followed by bitter COM
plants of packed meetings, of ring
rule, of unfair advantages taken by
one side or the other?
The very purpose of the primary and
of all popular elections is that the peo-
pie may have the opportunity to learn
thoroughly the characters, record and
qualifications of candidates for Office
and may express their opinions by di-
rect vote at the ballot box. Is it not
better and more democratic to have a
nominee representing the expressed
will of the majority of 10, 900 or 10000
men than to have him representing the
"AohCo Va OWO VI IAlACC SclGCl-
ed citizens? We think one serious de-
feet of the primary system is that it
does not require a majority vote to
nominate. Where there are more than
two candidates the two highest men
should be required to make another
race and allow the people to choose be-
tween them. Richmond News Leader.
Quite positively. in twenty years
of ''scrapping" in Virginia polit-
zeal life-mOst of it under the
convention system-we have
never seen such acrimonv and
dirty linen washing as under
the primary. Nor do we be-
lieve the News Leader can
produce proof that in II given
length of time. double the life of
the primary. was there ever such
mud singing in "a political family
as occurred in the Martin-Monta-
que contest and the present cam
paign in the Eighth Congress
sional district. Add to this the
horrors of campaign next year
such as Congressman Glass prom
ises, and which our Richmond
contemporary is egging ON, and
there is no lover of Democratic
perpetuity but what must view
with concern and regret the pres
ent pursuit of the primary plan.
While admittiag that the tack
ed notices and hay-wagon scenes
We're bad. we have almost a
virtual duplicate of it today.
In how many places (outside of
the cities where hay wagons.
tread), in how many rural places
have delegates TO Roanoke been
chosen by primary? Is it not "a
TACT that i'll the large majority of
cases the delegates have been
chosen by mass meetings, district
meetings, precinct meetings or
ward meetings, AS ofold? Ifthere
has been "a primary outside OF IA
city in this First Congressional
District 1.-THE reputed birthplace
OF the Virginia primary move
ment) we have vet to learn of it.
Thesame old mass meeting orpre-
clnct meeting! And these were
the only practical methods. To
have held primary would have
meant about "a dozen votes at
each precinct, and practically the
trouble OF an extra election. 1t
is undoubtedly most absurd
plea for any man or paper to
argue, that for a rural primary.
Our city friend cannot sit on his
lofty perch and know WHAT'S best
Tor us countrymen.
But to his argument
there never was before such
shame-faced bidding for popular
favor AS the Democratic candi-
date has today to do to win in a
primary. In convention one
never saw "a speaker ask for sup
port nor heard him decry his OBJ
ponent. Sores may have been
left, but the misunderstanding.
soon healed these and every
thing went merrily as "a mar
riage-bell. In a primary contest
one learns little about the char
acter or qualifications of a candi-
date, AS the mud-slinging pro-
duces retaliation and the true
man and issues are lost sight of:
the voters turn away in disgust,
and, frequently the case, a mi
nOrity candidate wins i'm an cleo
ton where a minority of the
registered vote is east.
In another editorial the News
Leader says this: I'VE hope
very sincerely that the primary
plan will be SO amended as to al
low the two men who lead to
have a fair, fiat-fOoted race. SO
that the wishes of the majority
of the voters of Virginia NAV be
known. If there is "a three
or four or five cornered fight.
there should be a second and de-
cisive contest between the two
survivors"
The Powers forbid. First, a
scrap between several Democrats,
and sores opened; next a scrap
between the two in the lead, and
more sores and bruises; thirdly
a fight with the Republican can.
didate by our winded champion
three elections, the Demo-
cratic champion clinching with
"a fresh man after two ardu-