The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-06-18
EACH CANDIDATE
is REPRESENTED.
Chairman Ellyson Rules All Are
Entitled to Watchers at y
Primaries.

Regardless of tho Inconvenience
which might be caused by the presence
in the voting places of a score of men,
each representing q candidate, such q.
condition is unavoidable under the
party primary plan. Such is tho rul.
Ing of State Chairman j. Taylor ELY
son, In reply to queries propounded to
him BY both the "suaightouts'' ana
"Fusionists" in Norfolk county.
In the opinion Of Mr.. Ellyson, the
law is as plain as anything could we'll
DO It says in exactly these words:5
at all primaries held under this nlan
(the Democratic primary plan) the poll
| books and voting shall be in open view.
and candidates voted for shall have
the privilege of having one friend each
within the room where tho election IA
being conducted to remain until after
the completion of the count Of the
vote and the certihcation OF tho result
All Wanted Watchers.
y dispute arose In Norfolk county
over the demand OF the straightforward
that every candidate for each office to
be voted for in the primary of June "a
should be permitted to have q watcher
at the polls. The 'Fusionists' objected.
on the ground that as tho.e are MANY
county and district officers to be voted
for, there would be a crowd of from
twenty-five to thirty people in each
voting place through the day. They
7 feared that such an attendance would
serve to block the election, and could
be easily used for the purposes OF In
limitation. ma
Both sides claimed to want nothing
but All honest election. gs.}A S1.;
discussing the matter yesterday,
Chairman Eilyson said he could realiss
the Inconvenience and objectionable
/ features Of crowding SO many persons
IN one room. Had the party plan not
included the word "all" before the
word primaries" 1t might have been
construed as applying only to nrl1nar-
les for tho nomina ton of United States
senators. and because Of impracticabii-i
ity, 1t might be held not to apply to
contests for county officers. But the
word all is there on the Job and he
had no course but to rule, in his LET
J ters to both sides. that every candidate
Tor every Office In Norfolk county, and
everywhere else in the State, may have
friend at the polls at each precinct
Must Expect Fraud. Ss3
AS u matter Of course, the desire for
literal compliance with this privilege
| would presuppose that the election !, Ia
| going to be fraudulent In most olace
throughout the State, where eleotinna
are conceded to be strictly honest. half
q ooEen candidates VIII agree on ono
man to represent them. But 1t seems
this Is not wanted in Norfolk county,
AIR. Ellyson is rather inclined to a
| modihcation of the primary plan as
referring to county contests.
IL might be said that friends OF cam,
| didates not to exceed three person 8 y
| should have the privilege Of watch
| ing the election and the count of the
ballots, rhiB would prevent conses- =
ton, and he thinks three honest men
| could be found In any one community.
| VINO would see that not only their
friends, but their friends friends.
would secure fair election. iyi
| Two Other Questions.
Another point on which n ruling wa
asked by the "Stralghtouts" was as to-
| the pledge. AS in the case cited above.
ft is not necessary In this Instance
| for Chairman Ellyson to interpose any
views of his own. 1t was merely
necessary TO quote from the primary.
plan Itself. The rules for the cleo
! tion. as adopted by the State Demo-
cratic Committee at It's recent meer-
| ing, explicitly says:#"Al1 persons par
1ticinating in this election shall there
by be considered as binding themselves
| to vote for the nominees in the en-
| suing general election"
| a third question was asked regard
ing who is qualified TO vote In county
! primary. Again quoting from this
| primary plan Mr.. EIlyson said it en-
| braces ''all white Democrats who areI
or will be, LEGAL voters at the nex&
ensuing general election" ts!
| ty4t5
County Marriage License. ss
a marriage license was granted