The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-01-09
ical because 1T may be both radical
and right.

icsl because IT may be both radical
and right.
The Compulsory Primary.
"The objection agsinst the comptil-
most serious and the most generally
End mistakenly urged. cannot be In
different to the opinions Of important
and able Journalists and persons OF
Influence who are opposed to compul-
sion. Nevertheless offer my reasons
for what they are worth:
IF it is true that the direct pri-
mary is the best and fairest methods
OF nomination, II 1t Sives TO the States
better class of candidates and there.
compulsory? The Constitution gives
the General Assembly the widest dis.
cretlon Upon what other theory. can
the expenses Of primary be paid out
of the public funds. except that the
and II. it is a governmental function. 1t
should saply to all responsible parties.
Arbitrary Action.
III tbs, State should not compel par
ties to make nomination by primaries.
need not nominate by primary. but. II
you do SO nominate. you must not con-
duct such prirtary in accordance with
your own Will. but in accordance with
the requirements OF my law. This is
toicompel the adoption OF primary, 1t
is equally arbitrary to compel a party
to conduct O primary according to the
States Will rather than according TO
Its own will. With what consistency
cratic primary and permit the Repub-
licans to nominate by any method they
please candidates competitive with the
Democratic nominees at the same cleo
ton?
81 am quite aware that many Of
NAG ~ e q N IS Srryfy fr mt
peculiar conditions In Virginia. are
academic rather than practical.
1T is highly probable that there is
no need to make by law primary
The masses Of the Democratic Voters
will probably see to that.
| "1n all State and most county cleo.
lions the Republican party is at pres.
ent q neglible quantity, and Its
much practical significance.
"a bill satisfactory IN other respects
with the compulsory feature eliminated
! would be much better than the COM
| mittee bill or no bin at all.
lality Nominations.
"The objection that majority and
not plurality vote, should nominate
/ is not so serious. In those Southern
States wnere double primaries a-e held
there are not 50 many elections as !, IN
+, been quoted, has one election every
4 two years. In Virginia there is an
1 election every year. and In the cities
4 every four years there are two cleo
lions, one In June and one In No.
vembor. Upon the double plan there
might be two primaries and one cleo
ton every year, and in cities every
four years there might be four pri
marles and two elections. Would tn
| voters stand for that?
ut may be possible to obviate thi
| iobjectlons without holding a secon
\ primary. The State of Washington
| In a very well considered primary law
has provided that ballots be SO ar
ranged as to enable the voter to vot
\ for his first and second choice. If n
1 candidate receives moro than 40 pc
cent. of the first choice votes. then
canvass Is made OF the second cinoic
votes received by the candidates, an
4 the second choice votes are added t
/ the first choice votes for each candt
date. and tho candidate receiving tn
4 largest number OF first and secon
choice votes Is declared the nomine.
The 40 per cent. Is of course arbi
trary. and may be changed to 81 pc
cent. VI 3 "
II do not know whether this pla,
would satisfy the advocates of aEdoa
hla primary. OF course these change
would nacessitate many other modifi
y have no pride Of opinion about "a
reatter only want to, accomplis
something. good and practical. and
!. sincerely hope that such will BIO tn
tissue