The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-07-17
Voice Of the People

Voice OF the i eople
Replying to senntor rl,omns.
Editor OF rho Times Dispatch.
sir..-1 am glad to wnlcoii,a Senator
a. II Thomas into onr ,lscusaton on
/ the second-day primary. i ,nlY wish
more OF our thoughtful citizens who
have the good Of the Democratic party
lat heart would join In tn,s debate, for
since the abolition OF 4ti,s coiivsntipn.
/ the columns of n newspapa. ,tfer the,
only means for an exchange II view,
upon any public question between tho
separated men. members t OF our, party.
Thomas agrees with The Times-Dis-
patch and mo that In n convention Is
the only way the party can perform
those executive party functions SO me-
cesaary to Its life, TO my mind the
promtlgntion OF party policies and the
management OF party affairs, consti-
itute tliree-fourths OF tho party's func.
ltions.
There seems to be some great fear
on tho part of Senator Thomas that
the majority OF the delegates In 4 con
lvention would not voice tile Will Of
f n majority OF the people. This fear Ia
iernment is confessed failure. Ours
lis representative form OF govern
ment and the convention is a represent
ltntivc form Of party organization.
lvote in the primary for delegates to
ttlie convention who are to represent
them IN party affairs. just as they vote
I'm an election for Officers who are to
fsrs az thu them aa e ma
their Will In the selection of cnndi-
dates. II a majority select cahd.-
date that settles the matter, but Il not,
structions Of their principals. voice
! their second choice for candidates un-
I'll q majority is secured.
My friend Thomas Is entirely mis-
taken In assuming that the plan pro-
powers Of the peoplesfn the CHOICE IL
ci.ndidates. or that the good features
Of the primary are In any way IN,
to the primary the good features OF
tho convention-those @three-fourths OF
the party's functions which admittedly
are. SO needful to Its existence--,M
of the one and the harmony flow
ing from the other can both be Sc
s., given the he !, q, t,rst-day primary in
jorty. the issue is: Shall the party
declare as its nominee the candidate
securing plurality OF votes. as now:
shall.it hold a second-day primary II,
enter. or shalt It hold convention
composed OF delegates elected In the
primary by the people. who shall have
power to vote at VIII only the strength
lof the dropped candidate, and who
fourths OF the partys functions so es-
sential to Its existence, which now go
iunperformed?
Some OF the reasons for which OPP
+ pose second-day primary and advo-
cate such a modified convention are az
follows:
| First. Under the primary system ws
do not have any party organization by
means are provided by It for the per-
IpetuatIon OF the party-no system is
furnished by which the party officers
are elected. This is cured by con
tyention.
Second. The cost OF one-day pri-
mary bars all but the well-to-do from
office; asecond-day primary Will nearly
double the cost to candidates, and al
Office.
Third. II there are more than three
candidates for one office. to allow only
| the highest two TO enter the second
the middle man or men, us a fraction
Iof the lowest mans vote might put
him or them ahead OF the leaders.
Fourth. 1t is unjust to the party. II
sharply drawn issue in which two
of the candidates take opposite and
extreme Views. and the other takes the
middle ground 1T is not only possible.
mary would be confined to the two
EXTREMISTS because that being the
paramount" issue. the people would
Iline up on one or the other side OF
10 and that the final nominee would
! be chosen against the wishes OF two
thirds. or tiree-fourths OF the party
according to the number OF candi-
|dates-as heretofore shown.
L 80 4 49, 1v,I dos tvy1a
plan. three-fourths OF the party's
lfunctions-"the PRONUNCIATION OF party
policies and the management Of party
laffairs"-are entirely omitted, while In
performed. This alone. in my. judy
ment, is sufficient to decline the one
and adopt the other system.
Sixth. In the absence OF a conven-
make their own platforms. though
nominally Democrats. and can thus
bind the party to any sort Of fool prop
POSITION that seems to them to have
which they hope TO ride into office.
II nominated by a bare plurality they
Iexpect all who call themselves Demo-
Gratis to support them and their SELF
serving sophistries IN the election.
vention and under the primary system
which allows any one to become self
appointed candidate. the party, whose
support is SO sa1ely relled upon lori elec-F
ton. has absolutely no voice In the
choice Of candidates-the party cannot
name Its leaders, 1t can only choose
between self-appointed leaders.
Eighth. The nominee of party is
presented o.the world as a leader OF
tho party who stands for the princi-
pies and policies OF that party. It
would seem that the party should have
some voice in the selection OF It's lead,
ers and in declaring its principles and
framing its policies. The modified con-
vention. as proposed, insures to tho
party some check upon both the can
didate and the platform.
Ninth. Tho primary tends to break
up the party into factions: the con-
yention to heal its wounds and to
solidify It. The combination plan pro-
| its good features but adds the best
features Of the convention with none
| Of its faults.
Tenth. If the people can be trusted
Il o~>Fft I,