The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-02-06
STATE PRESS
A Board of Control for Petersburg.

Tho strongest argument in favor OF
board OF control for Petersburg is to be
found in the cumbersome and inefficient BIZ
cameral Common Council We have not
much faith in the new fads OF commission
government and boards of control. we
should be glad to see the old-fashioncd uni
camera Common Council restored here, but
when 1t comes TO choice OF evils we
would accept the new fads or almost any
thing else in preference to the monstrous
failure we are now living under.-Peters-
burg IndeX-Appeal.
State Pardons Board.
The proposition to establish state Board
OF Pardons to consider all applications that
may be made BY the friends and relatives
of persons imprisoned in this state for any
crime meets with our hearty approval. The
plan would lit from the shoulders OF the
Governor burden OF responsibility which
should never have been placed there In
the first instance. To vest one onicial with
the powers OF life and death over any OF
his fellow citizens. in addition to the ardu-
Gus duties OF the chief executive of great
state, is placing an ntoIerable burden on an
already hard-worked official. No words
would be ADEQUATE TO describe the feelings
Of kind hearted executives who are appealed
to by the wives and mothers OF condemned
criminals to exercise ciemency IN their pc
| half or to release from prison some poor
| unfortunate who, howsoever richly he may
| have deserved his fate, Is the sole depend
ence of family which is suffering because
the law demands retributton for crimes ne
has committed. 1t is not fair TO the Gov
| ernor of Virginia that he should have 70
! listen to al! these pleas, and 1t Is TOO much
! to expect that k!nd-hearted gentleman
| who has no shred OF cruelty in his make-up.
| can always see his duty clearly through
mists OF sympathetic tears, or who ID JUST
| n little inclined TO be deaf to the voice
of that duty when some old mother pleads
with him for her sons life.--Portsmouth
i STAR
Another Primary Proposal.
There is no question but that the primary
plan brings the selection OF candidates
closer to the people than the old convention
plan, but there is room for considerable
improvement in tho present system In ms
q state. The primary plan was first tried as
an experiment about thirty-nvo years age
in somo OF the states farther south, ana mas
since been modified and improved untll tht
& system Is now almost perfect. But thit
modification and the regulatlnS OF the dc.
tails belongs to the party, ana Tor tina
purpose we would suggest the lolowini
outline; First, lot the General Assemhl,
pass II law giving the primary the same
regulation and protection az TO tho regular
state elections Then let tho party DO OF
4 gan2ed INTO clubs, located NJ points mos
convenient 10 tho voters Of the seNera
nelghborhoods, these clubs to have their ex
ocutiNe committees and representatives u
3 the central or county committee. Tho prlmar
election can be hold in tho local clubs AM
the result reported TO the central commute
+ for tabuIatiqu 40 person should 90 al
4 lowed 70 yo,e ~ tho primary unless ne - y,
r member OF a club and none should ba atl
: mittod 10 membership IN tho clubs hui thos
who VIII pledge themsolvos 10 support IN
nominees of me party primary the eSpetis
E 70 be borne bS the several clubs ny aoop.
!. Ing TINS scheme there will be no complain
;, about Republicans being allowed to vote
a Democratic primary, as IL often tho Gus
!, at prescnt,~-Brookneal Sentinel.s y