The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-11-16
HAS COMMITTEE
DONE FULL DUTY?
Doubt Exists as to Next Move
in Effort to Legalizc
Primaries.
BYRD WILL PRESENT BILL
Question if State Committees
Measure Should Again
Be Proposed.
BYRD WILL PRESENT BILL

Some inquiries have been made of
late as to whether or not it is the
duty of State Chairman J. Taylor Ely
son to call together meeting of the
State Democratic Committee, or to APP
point a subcommittee thereof. for the
purpose of formulating a bill for the
legalization of primary elections, for
presentation to the Legislature. MIR.
Ellyson himself has not decided tho
point, preferring first to consult mem
bers of the committee OH the point.
In the State Convention OF 1908. IL
resolution was adopted instructing the
committee to prepare bill and in
troduce 1T in the General Assembly.
designed to safeguard primary cleo
tons. Just prior to the meeting of
the Legislature OF 1910, Chairman
Ellyson appointed subcommittee,
which met in this city and darfted Il
measure. This bill was short. merely
providing that primaries shall be "un-
der tho fun protection Of all laws
of this State for the punishment ana
prevention of fraud, intimidation and
other irregularities, or corrupt prac-
tees in general elections. SO far as
they may be applicable thereto"
In addition. the bin forbade the sale
OF newspaper space to candidates I'M
less plainly marked as an advertise
ment.
Byrd Also Had Bill.
JUST before tho meeting OF this COM
mittce. Speaker Il. Il. Byrd had pre-
pared bill. sweeping in It's nature
which covered the whole ground OF
primaries In detuil, applying all pro-
visions OF tho penal code relating 10
the elective franchise, 10 primaries
The selection Of judges. the qualin-
cations OF voters the expenses OF cam
dadates. tho voting. were all covered
by specific rules
mittee's bill. He said II was too at
tenuated TO cast shadow" and that
II was mot even an embryo from
which living organism could lie
evolved"
When the Legislature met. two other
primary bills were !ntroduced-one by
J. L. West. OF suffolk. and the other
by j. t. Deal. OF Norfolk. The Com
mittee on Privileges and Elections re-
ported all out untavorably save tho
Byrd bill. which II amended In a very
important particular, and which had
been previously modified In some see
tons by Mr.. Byrd himself.
NO bill was passed. all dying on the
calendar without discussion on the
floor.
What Is Next Slept
The question now is this: The state
Committee having once prepared a bin
according TO the instructions OF the
convention. and tho Legislature hav-
Ing failed to act on It. should the COM
mittee get up new bill, should Il
rcintroduce the old one, or should IL
do nothing? This query is as yet I'M
anJwered.
Speaker Byrd has already given no.
tice that he Will reintroduce his own
except that he viii not consent to
clause inserted in reference TO the
qualifications OF voters in primaries
He had provided that:
No person shall be permitted to
vote unless in the last preceding gem
eral elections he voted for the presi-
Dental electors nominated by such
party. or for the nominee for the
House OF Representatives of such
party. or the nominee of such party
Tor Governor. or the nominee OF such
party for the House of Delegates; pro
vided. further that II he did not vote
at such general election, then upon
his declaration that he will support
at the ensuing election the nominee
of the party In whose primary he
wishes to vote. then he shall be al
lowed to vote"
Material Change.
To this the committee added the
clause: And provided. further, that
when questioned by the Judges il he
shall pledge himself to support the
nominees of the party in the ensuing
election. he shall be allowed to vote"
1t is this which Mr.. Byrd VIII strike
from his bill. believing that 1T opens
the doors for Republican participation
in Democratic primaries.
The Byrd bill of the coming session
would leave II optional with each
party az to whether or not 1t would
go into the primary. and each party
would have the right to leave the
method OF nomination of local candi-
dates to local committees. The on
GERS of election would be chosen by
electoral boards fros, lists furnished
by party committees; the expenses
would be paid by the counties and
cities; candidates would pay per
cent. OF a years salary of the office
they seek as n primary fee, to keep
out the triflers expenses would he
limited to 10 cents for each vote cast
for the candidate of the party polling
the highest vote in the preceding cleo
ton. There Is the same provision as
to newspaper advertising contained In