The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-01-16
SUNDAY. JANUARY IS. 1910.
KEEPING REPUBLICANS OUT OF
DEMOCRATIC PRIMARIES.

1t Is reported that Republicans are
openly planning to vote in the Demo.
cratic primaries to nominate, which is
to say elect, q Congressman in the
Fourth District Morally such an in
trusion on their part would be tanta-
mount to fraud. Legally 1t could be
done with perfect impunity. The loose
party plan under which Democratic
primaries are now held limits parttci-
patton in them to qualified white
Democrats" But this rule has no
legal sanction or support No matter
how deliberate and dishonest the mis-
representation, II a Republican sue
cceds in getting the election Judges to
vote him. 1t would be impossible to
punish him In any way. This Is SIM
ply because there Is no law in Vir
Einia regulating eligibility to vote in
a party primary and penalizing abuse
OF the system.
Section 1920 OF the Code provides.
In general terms, that all laws In
tended to secure the regularity and
vent and punish any corrupt practices
Herewith. shall apply to all primary
elections-"so far as they may be APP
plicable." OF course. there is no gem
eral election law applicable to Re-
publicans voting In Democratic pri-
maries since such a point could not
arise in general election. Therefore
this law does not touch the issue. Yet
this abuse of the primary has become
notorious in many places, and q long
succession of States have enacted sta
tutory laws to prevent and punish It,
section So of the Constitution of Vir-
sinia authorizes the Assembly to enact
laws securing the regularity and puri-
ty OF. primary elections, preventing
and Furnishing corrupt practices In
connection Herewith, and providing,
in addition to other penalties for pre-
scribed offenses, that the offenders
franchise and right to hold Office may
be permanently revoked. But no law
carrying out this authorization, nc
primary law of any sort, has yet CONF
from the General Assembly.
Now 1t Is proposed to enact such I
law. Two measures, rival candidates
Tor favor, will be laid before the Gen
eral Assembly. One of these is th'
pseudo official bill prepared by the
SUBCOMMITTEE OF the Democratic State
Central Committee. The subcommittee
ell Ie I'M rfa inf
point. 1t lays down no party test. and
leaves it as impossible as ever to pun
ish Republicans who manage TO get
into Democratic primaries. however
unfairly and dishonesty. Contrast
this deplorable laxity with the clear
provisions Of the Byrd bill:
(a) No petson Stall vote for the can
didates OF more than one party.
OBJ No person shall be permitted to
vote for the candidates Of any party
unless in the last next preceding gen.
eral election he voted for the presi-
Dental electors nominated by such
party or for the nominee for the House
of Representatives OF such party, or
for, etc. lseYeral alternatives follow
herel.
primary, upon challenge, shall be
sworn by one Of the judges of the pri-
mary, and il he knowingly makes any
false statement as to any matter ma
tcrial TO his right to vote he shall be
deemed guilty of perjury, and upon
conviction shall be punished accord
ingly.
Disagreement with the qualifications
lot ie Ia OH
Perhaps some other form of test than
that proposed by Mr.. Byrd would be
better; perhaps not The vital point
IS that his bill docs propose q definite
aud ligld test. and provides punish
meat for violating It. Under 1t we
s. fiiolrld certainly hear no known Re-
leDlican Boosting that he meant tc
vote in any Democratic primary. II
the subcommittee's bill Is enacted, tho
situation will remain Just as ii is now
Republicans could still, palm them
selves off as Democrats. TO gain tenn
porary end, and go unpublished L
the Byrd bill is enacted, Republican,
who did this would be guilty of per
july ana Wouid Dc accoEulhSly pun
ished.a No law, of course, can proven
or stamp out perjury, which is no
always easy to detect and prove. Blu
the Byrd bill. by holding q lcav
punishment over the heads Of trans
gressorH would DO very eifectna
deterrent. while the subcommittee bill
by the Ioophole it maintains, offer
them a constant invitation. This /
only one more respect in which tn
one measure is genuine and etfeotlv
where the other Is makeshift an
Yaentty.
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THE CHAMBER.
Retiring President Frank p. WI
liams is entirely justified III his bell
A. a. -. = ~.