Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-11-24
PEOPLE MUST TAKE MATTER
INTO THEIR OWN HANDS.


editorial discussion OF Norfolk Cor
poration Courts opinion holding
unconstitutional the section OF the
State code designed to prohibit and
punish malpractices in primary cleo
lions. and the situation In which the
Democrats OF Virginia find themselves
as result OF that ruling. the Norfolk
virginian-Pilot says:
There is no reason to doubt the cor
RICHNESS of the ruling made by the
CORPORATION Court of Norfolk. The
fau}f does not lie with the able and
courageous jurist who presides over
that tribunal, but with the General
Assembly. which in the face OF . con-
st;tutional mandate has persistently
refused to provide for primaries even
the measure OF protection agains'
fraud which is thrown around all on
or elections. regular and special
Citizens who earnestly de irsd to
have the perpetrators of gross frauds
in the Second district primary dealt
: WIN -Dy-law were grfesousiy trap
pointed when Judge Henckef dectded
that there was no law under which
The accused might be reached. and
no doubt many were inclined to stake
their Judgment against that OF the
court. To the lay mind it seems al
most absurd TO say that an act Of
the general assembly setting forth
specifically that the general election
laws against frauds shall apply TO pri-
mary elections is null and void be-
cause the object Of the statute Is not
given sufficiently clearly In the title
or heading. However. upon reading
the courts opinion il seems apparent
even 20 the iaymsn that the legisla-
tnre erred and that the act under
which ne have credulousiy believed
our primary system was partially
'.lesaiized" is not worth the paper II
Is written upon. Certainly the aues'
fion should be settled IN the minds
OF even the most doubtful by this
UNQUALIFIED endorsement OF the ruins
BY the virginisn-Pilot. Tie editor oil
me virginisn-Pilot Is as anxious as
anybody can be TO see the primary
debsnchers punished. and besides he
Is fully capable OF giving a profes'
sional opinion on the legal question
involved
Doubling that heSgovernor will cal
an extra session of the legislare OF
that the legislature as at present
constituted would remedy the evil
The virginian-Pilot goes on to say;
This recourse falling. q State Dem
ccrafsc convention might improve
conditions by taking tie matter ou'
Of the hands OF the State committee
en2 adopting sno mota Primary plan
40 strictly drawn as 10 serve al Least
az \ check on irregular and dishonesi
administration until proper legislation
can be secured. But there are fndica
lions that the influences dominant "
the State commitsee are not favorable
20 the aoisin< OF convention prio'
TO 1919. What then. Must there b
chacz because the servants 81 the
pccpie are srerse to giving their mas
ters sn opportunity to eSpress thei'
vii, II so. the Democratic p-opis
must take The bull by the horns. ssi
hack on their deserved rights. com.
together OF their own initiative and
frke sach steps - viii make theil
voice both heard and respected.
This faper believes that the prope'
course y 20 persist In the demand
that a STATE Democratic convention
Is called before he tine for the mex
LEGISLATIVE primary campaign Th'
convention should adopt a party plat
form. for virginia Democrats. and cn'
plan< q that platform should be an IN
r,s,zi1able declaration thai the mex
iek-sialsse shall enact statute iegsl
i<inx TIE primary system Moreover
tse ceavsn,icn shoaia appoinf con
rn<ftc, a rs own % draft a primarl
ran IA. yin sfo51 ssrn prosc>tic'
% ne Democratic voters ~ 4 ma
~ p,.<it,s % rive pending the E-a'
4zr> q psiu<rs ize