The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-05-24
THE PRIMARY AND THE ROANOKE,
CONTENTION.

THE PRIMARY AND THE ROANOKE
CONVENTION.
"A careful perusal OF the opinions OF
the press of the State concerning the
primary has led us to the conclusion
that the great preponderance of senti-
the present primary plan, with amend
ments. The amendment suggested most
urgently Is the abolition of the assess
ment upon candidates for the cost of
the primary. There seems, however, to
be plentiful lack OF suggestions as to
the best mode OF abollshing this fea-
ture.
It appears to us that there are only
three ways in which the assessment
might be dispensed with: The expense
OF the primary might be borne by the
counties and cities; or, persons might
volunteer to act as Judges and clerks
of elections, as In South Carolina, to
prepare copies of the registration
books. to print the ballots, and do
all other work connected with the
primary without charge: or the ex-
pense might be paid out Of party funds
collected for the purpose.
Tho first plan can only be put into
effect by the Legislature, and neither
the second nor the third plan can be
positively provided for by the conven-
CIV ord nrf 1,y
available for the purpose OF carrying
4 general election against an oppos-
ing party. but 1t has never been the
custom to collect funds to be used by
the party in nominating It's candidates.
To be sure. the whole party is inter-
ested in having proper nominations
made. and it would be a splendid thing
II the members of the party would con-
tribute to the expense of making the
nominations, but it would certainly
not be within the province of any
State convention to require that they
should do. so. Likewise, 1t Is highly
desirable that patriotic gentlemen
should give the time and labor neces-
sary to holding the primary without
charge, and in some localities such free
service has been occasionally rendered;
but it is more than doubtful whether
such would ever be the case generally.
Undoubtedly no State convention could
ever make such a demand upon the
services of its members with any as
ha
made effective.
The Roanoke convention. however,
might recommend that the party au-
thorities make an effort to secure the
free services of judges. clerks and
others, and also solicit general sub
scriptions to pay those who will not
serve without charge before calling
upon the candidates to make up the
/ deficiency.
In our opinion the convention should
go further and demand the enactment
by the LestSlatuss at its next session
of a statute legalizing primary cleo
i lions and providing for the payment
of the cost by the counties and cities
AS tina officers elected to serve the
people are. as rule. first nominated
by a party. the whole people, as well
as tho party. have an interest in the
1uaking Of proper nominations, The
Constitutional Convention, which was
largely Democratic, put this clause into
the nav Constitution:
| Section So. The General Assembly
shall enact such laws as are necessary
end proper for the purpose of securing
the regularity and purity Of general,
local ard primary elections, and pre-
venting and Furnishing any corrupt
practices in connection herewith"
AS to general and local elections
complete and specific provision has
Il been made. but. as we have heretofore
po,nted out. there has been no etfec-
tive provision made for securing the
regularity and purity of primary cleo
lions. The Roanoke convention should
20 on record as demanding that the
Legislature should carry out In letter
and spirit this mandate of the constl-
tuition