The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-06-13
rs -T--
BYRD TO PROPOSE
new PRIMARY
Speaker Gives Notice He viii
Introduce His Measure
of Last Session.
COMMITTEE MAY NOT ACT.
Argued That It Has Once Obey
ed Mandate Of State Demo
cratic Convention.
COMMITTEE MAY NOT ACT

There is no longer any question that
the perfection of the primary plan in
this State Will form a most important
feature OF the session OF the I.egisla-
ture next winter. In the opinion OF
many people, II will be the livest sub
1ect which will come before that body.
the subject Of reform In taxation not
excepted.
Speaker Richard Evelyn BYRD, of the
Rouse OF Delegates. and author of one
OF the primary bills which did not
Yesterday that he would Introduce a
Bill legalizng all primaries at the be-
ginning of the session. 1T Will be prac-
tically my bill OF last time with a few
changes" said the Speaker II foresaw
the trouble in the Second District, be-
heving that somewhere in the state
such conditions would arise, and ]
iought hard to, get my bill through
shall try again"
Action by Committee
What action. II any. the State Demo
cratic Committee will take In the mat
ter or primary measure is a oues-
ton. Some people believe It Will 10
nothing at the last Democratic State
convention. held in Roanoke in 1908,
resolution was adopted ins,ructinE
me committee to prepare a bill legal
.S-HS ~ tHdiIeS ana 10 present IL to
the Legislature at its next session.
pursuant to this resolution State
Chairman J. Taylor Ellyson appointed
subcommittee. composed Of one mem
per from each congressional district.
y meeting of the subcommittee was
held few days in advance OF the
meeting of the General Assembly and
a snort bill was approved. simply maxi
Ing all laws for the punishment OF dis
nOnoStS n ala
primaries. =
Frlor TO this action. however, Speak
or Byrd had prepared a bill on the
same subject which was widely dis
cussed and either approved or crit,-
cized throughout the State II made
primaries compulsory on both parties.
provided that the expenses should be
paia by the State. limited the expen-
ditures of candidates. and went at
length into details regarding the an.
pointment OF election officers and safe.
guarding the purity OF the election.
Abandoned Computation.
In response to general disfavor OF
the compulsory feature. Mr.. Byrd re-
moved that part OF his bill He an
peared before the House Committee on
Privileges and Elections In baha1t 81
the measure
other bills We're introduced by ]. E.
=" est, OF NRnsemond, and j. II. Deal.
OF Norfolk. Several hearings were
held on all four bills. and at last the
committee reported them all-the
| BYRD bill with amendments ravorably
and the other three unfavora BILE. They
died on the calendar
There seems little doubt that The
Speaker could have got his hill
through the House. perhaps changed
TO some extent. But he had other
matters TO attend to- and. realizing
that its passage through the Senate
was impossible, he did not push II.
May Not Act Again.
The State Committee having once
prepared a bill in accordance with
the mandate of the State convention,
II is being pretty generally argued
that It is not its duty TO do SO again,
In View OF the fact that the represen.
tatives OF the people of the State, in
the Legislature. neglected TO take
action on It.
The Speaker Is much interested In tn 6
matter. and Is making a further study
of the primary system In other States
In the light OF developments since his
experiences OF two years ago. He will
almost certainly be Speaker again.
since he has already been renominated
for the House by his home district
and has no opposition for the position
of presiding officer. It will thus be
seen that his influence VIII re com
manding. Besides. he believes the
public demand for a legalized primary
law is greater than It was two years
since HsE iff-