The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-02-12
Deals Method Of Sc
lecting Judges Made
Part of Measure.
FLETCHER BILL
PASSED IN SENATE
Long Powwow Ended at Last
Interstate Trains May Run on
sunday-House Disposes of
Many Local and Uncon-
tested Meas
ures.

with the main idea of the Deal bill
incorporated as an amendment. the
Byrd measure iesalizing and resulat-
ing primary elections in Virginia was
reported ravorably yesterday from the
House Committee on Privileges and
Elections. AT the same time the bills
offered by Messrs. Deal and West and
ny the subcommittee of the Democratic
state Committee, were returned to the
House with recommendation that
they do not pass.
In this decision Speaker Byrd won
a signal victory, and he naturally re-
CARDS 1t as compliment TO the eX-
tended and laborious work which he
put on the preparation of the bill For
weeks he studied the primary laws OF
other states and their practical re-
suits, and MS measure was the result
of what he found TO be the latest
thought on the subject Immediately
after the publication OF his bill in The
dispatch. IL was praised or crit
iclzed from every quarter OF the State.
AS a result OF general disapproval, the
speaker eliminated the feature OF the
hill, m.ich required all the principal
political parties to particiate in the
election
.huuc.
In making elections legal Mr.. Byrd
had provided that the regular officers
of election should serve as officers of
primaries. A change became neces-
sary when he amended his bill, as it
would not be proper to have q Repub-
lican judge, for instance, officiating in
a primary in which the Democrats
alone were participating. To set this
right the committee adopted the pro-
vision of the bill offered by Mr.. Deal.
requiring that the electoral boards of
the counties and cities select the pri-
mary election officers from q list OF
persons presented by the executive
committee of the party for which the
election is to be held.
Another rather important amendment
refers to the qualification of voters
in such elections. Those voting. as in
the Byrd bill. must have voted at the
preceding election for the party can
dIdate for presidential electors, Con-
gresham or Governor In addition, a
person may be permitted to vote IL,
when questioned by the Judges. he
shall pledge himself to support the
nominees of the party in the ensuing
election.
This latter provision is likely to
arouse good deal of opposition in
both houses, since under 1t. as trans
lated, a Republican in a hopelessly
Democratic district might freely par
ticipate in Democratic primaries. know
ing that there will be no candidate OF
his own party.
Fletcher Bill Passed.
The Fletcher tax commission has a
last passed the Senate ana goes to the
House. 1t was found impossible to Sc
cure the requisite number of votes tc
pass the bill with the emergencs
clause in it, SO that feature was elm
mated. Only the Republican member.
re egistered their names In opposition
the division being strictly on party
lines.
The upper body devoted most Of 1T!
day to another tax matter-the subsu'
tute proposed by the Finance Commit
tee for the King tax commission bill
No decision was reached. Senator Hol'
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