The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-07-05
Voice Of the p eople
Tilc prinnry ma tie Convention.

llne OF ING pan suggested by me, Be-
rehearse some very recent political his
tory OF which you and the public ara
not. perhaps Fps entire 9cognizant.
noke convention the committee on res
olltlons, to whom this matter was re-
fcrred. sat almost in continuous session
/, from 2 O'clock until o When the COM
james Hay was made chairman, and
! 1 was made secretary. The chairman
ilof the committee on resolutions np-
pointed q subcomn ,',1e consisting OF
mary system. I was chairman OF this
subcommittee. rhc subcommittee,
upon organization, went at length Into
pa s thal be members Mss q mp
mlttee stood four to two for letting
the primary stand Just as It Is. TT
nally. as n compromise. the committee
provided that In ell primary electiona
| for congressman and State officers
elected BY the. people, and United
aee or Sch the o RsSpe s n yas
Aon. !. 4
And. such delegates. in convention
assembled s, should construct plat
mittees to see that ali Democrats are
registered and their poll taxes paid,
to arrange for rallies. and to perform
all functions and be vested with all
other powers OF the Democratic party
IN such district or in the State. The
presiding officer OF such convention
should declare as nominees OF the party
tho candidates for Office receiving the
highest number OF votes In the pri-
mary.
The subcommittee also reported a
minority report, which virtually was
the above plan, with amendments, and
which is the plan which ! Will later
suggest.
When these reports came in the deli
egate from Richmond city, Mr.. A. B.
! Williams: offered as a substitute for
the 4 !, whole '. resolution. which waa
whole primary question to the state
Central Committee. and authorized
them to make such amendments look
ing TO securing majority vote and
chcapening the expense to the candi-
dates which was amended on motion
Of Mr. Tate Irvine. who opposed the
whole primary plan. 80 as to require
the Central Committee to Investigate
the whole primary plan and report to
the next State convention, to be held
IN 1917. complete plan for nominal
It will be thus seen that the state
Central Committee is the forum 10
which this whole question has been
rel, ,e and in which II must and
four yearx Contrary TO the opinion
Or most Of the newspapers OF tho state
the fight for the perfection of the pri.
mary or the night for the perpetuation
you choose to call II. has just begun
a close examination OF the majority
report OF the subcommittee above out.
, ,ined shows this result: First. it re-
talhs the primary system of nominal.
ing oihcers and its conciusiveness: sec
ohd. II retains the convention system
az a permanent means OF organization:
third. by retaining the convention sys.
tenn the party is welded into lighting
force, ard by this means the other
functions OF a party. which are ig-
nored entirely by the primary. are per-
What l conceive to be It's defects
are. first. It does not provide for a
majority vote in the nominal ton of
candidates.; second. by taking away
from the delegates all power in the
selection OF candidates the interest
taken in politics by the avera Sc man.
which In self government is the thing
most to be desired. will be somewhat
lessened.
US "a combination of the primary and
convention systems In such a way that
the conclusiveness OF the ono and tho
harmony flowing from the other can
both be secured Is the plan above
outlined with this amendment: II no
candidate for office receives ma 3ority
of all of, the votes cast in the district
or state. then the delegates from
eaGh magisterial district or ward
(Which are made the unit OF
which they are entitled in proportion
| as the respective candidates voted for
received votes in the primary, drop
ping tho lowest man on the second bal
lot. and his strength only to be voted
as the delegates desire.
X no candidate receives the ma
jority fall OF the votes on the second
ballot. then the candidate receiving
the lowest number of votes on the Sec
ond ballot is dropped and the candi-
date last dropped may be put back. in
nomination. and the strength of tho
candidate not in nomination on the
third ballot may be divided by such
delegates as they see fit among the
some one is nominated by receiving a
majority OF all OF the votes. iIf each
|of the candidates has been dropped
once and no one has secured a ma
free to vote for any or all OF such
or any other candidate who
may be placed in nomination, until
some one secures a majority.
cannot trespass further upon your
space to point out the good features
IofSthis plan. But any one who is we'll
posted In such matters can easily see
lhowit differs from the North Carolina
plan, and It's consequent deadlock,
which SO much excited The Times Dis-
!
immense Improvement to our present
primary 2 :. plan It is on the other hand.
serves tho Iprlmary plan. but ,reau Tres
a majority of votes to nominate. Al
loving the people to vote directly for
voters do not agree on the nominee.
then the people delegate their power to
name a cand date to their agents, re-
representatives. or delegates who are to
speak for them, but who are controlled
In a large measure by the Instructions
]|of$their principals. 1t also retains what
to my mind Is of the most vital con-
sequence. especially4in Southwest Vir-
ginia and other contested localities-a
| 1ghtin e. organization & n.
BeHt understood that r. favor. and
| always have favored, the primary Ssys-
tenn Of nominating local officers where
| the tissue Is between men and not
measures Yours very truly, !, !, 4
ROBT. w. sWITHERS. 81
Suffolk, Va, July q, 1905