The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1910-01-20
BIG FIGHT over
PRIMARY LAW
Floor Leader of the Republicans
openly Declares That His Party
LIS Unit Against Amy Primary
Legislation-Other
Opinions.

X c II M ON ID, VA. - Special -
Truly ii would seem to those study
ing the situation that a merry war.
iurid with the fire, birthstone and
Dluely-burning sulphur Of heated polI-
Tics. IS TO be precipitated by the con
sloeratlon or the two primary bills to
be passed on by the Legislature.
Even now one hears the mutterinps
or distant thunder. and later on there
Is every probability that the member
snip OF the HoOse will be transformed
into Vociferous band OF Kilkenny
cats.
Wide is the difference of oninion
as to the advisability of primary leg
lslaton- Many Democrats hate the
primary system like satan hates holy
water, while still others want il onlX,
In a modified degree. Southwest Vir-
Sinit, owing 70 It's geographical con-
oltlons and other causes, has an alb
Solute contempt for primaries This
teellnS is shared alike by Democrats
and Republicans.
TO add to present complications. two
primary bills are to demand the at
tention OF the sOlons-that much
harpooned measure prepared bv the
subcommittee of the Democratic state
committee and the bill which has
been evolved by Speaker Byrd. a most
aggressive and uncOmpromising fight
er. That the Speaker will SCRAP hard
Tor his production goes without saw
ing.
So far as the Republican delegates
are concerned, they are a unit against
primary legislation. and. above all
things, against bill containing a com
pulsory feature. Legislator G. s. Pen
dleton. of Scott. the House floor leader
OF the minority, did not hesitate to say
as much this morning
Yes, we are all against it" said
he most emphatically this morning
81
partisan standpoint suppose 1 ought
TO favor primary bill, for I believe
II Will split the Democracy of the State
wide open. And in the Southwest
nearly everybody is against it. But
as have said, my delegation is going
to stand together in opposition to such
legislation.
Judge Martin Williams, chairman
OF he House Committee on Privi
leges and Elections. by request. has al
ready introduced the Democratic sub
committees bill, but that doesn't mean
that he favors II. He is not commit
ung himself, as he considers that he is
acting in a sort OF judicial capacity.
re wants the matter thoroughly
Mr.. Byrds carefully prepared bill
which is about ten times as long as
the subcommittee west pocket
measure. will be offered in the House
Monday.
The Speaker somewhat grimly said
this morning that he was going to do
ms level best to get through his bill.
L shall not personally beg ANYBODY
10 vote FOR it," he added, "but / con-
sluer II my duty to use all my powers
To bring about it's passage. For nv
part, | have no selfish interest in the
matter. i think il would be far bet-
ter to defer action for two wears
rather than to have a poorly-prepared
or ill-considered measure. NV idea Is
that no legislation at all is vastly bet
ter than poor legislation
It already has become absolutely
patent that the Speaker, persuasive.
iOrceful and aggressive as he is. will
nave TO abandon the compulsory fea-
1urc of his primary bill. He will die
hard, however, for he thinks that
IL one OF the strong features of his pet
measure.
Report has il that Senator Strobe
VIII espouse the cause of the Byrd bill
provided this obviously unpoprlar fea
ture is eliminated.
No one seems to know who will act
as guardian for the subcommittee bfl.
Judge Martin Williams said this
morning that at the next meeting of
the Committee on Privileges and Elec-
tons, he would ask the members OF
that body to fix some definite date for
the consideration of primary bills. All
persons interested will be given every
opportunity to ventilate- their views
on the subject.