The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-05-26
PRIMARY TALK GALORE.

The Richmond News Leader says that at the
last state Convention Representative Jones op-
posed the proposition Ia put upon the state
the cost Of d primay election. Mr. Jones taxes
the proper view. although ne has not SO TAR
as We know expressed himself on the subject
since the adjournment OF the convention
The plan enntemptates requiring the lie
publican party abandon the convention
method Of nominating and adopt the Demo-
cratic plan 81 nominating In ii primary vi
course. II such law we're enacted the Ike
publican party would comply, but suGh lesls-
isuon would be a brutal exercise OF power
against which the Repuhiicahs shopId not be
blamed fer protesting. II is only Recently that
there has been open advocacy OF law |"
require the state 10 pay the cost Oh h4Ahlhs
nominations to Office. although II might have
been Ioreaeen the outset that eventually
somebody would begin to advocate a proposition
~ this kind
Senator Martins view of this proposition is
known. Ia that of MIR. GLASS ana
Senator swanson. Mr. Jones seems to be the
only one of the four candidates who thus far
mas expressed himself He takes the right
view
la recent editorial dealing at some length
with the subject. The Neies Leoder takes practi-
cally the same view of the proposed amendment
to the primary law as that expressed above by
The TnderAppcaL
1t occurs 10 us that, for the purposes of this
discussion. it Is immaterial whether MIR. Jones
or Mr. Martin, MIR. Glass or MIR. Swanson IA
sor or do not favor legalized primary. under
state supervision and public expense. These
gentlemen are entitled to any opinion they may
have. aud DO not conceive that their views
are entitled to very much. If any. more consd
Grafton than those OF any four other white Dem
ocrats
The plan involves not the slightest suggestion
of brutality to the minority party in virginia
so bemoaaed by the newspapers above quoted
The State should provide the machinery for
holding simultaneous party primaries giving all
parties the option TO avail themselves of this
method Of designating their candidates for pub
lie Office If the Republican party in Virginia
does not care avail itself Of this improved
method of naming candidates for office, it should
not be compelled TO do 70 III every other State.
however. In which primary law is in vogue all
parties favor the system. and would not abolish
it, as 1t has very largely minimized the influence
Of the party boss and minimized political evils
equally as prolific of scandal The further oh
lection that the opponents of the plan viii, Of
course, at once advance is that, should the Re-
publieans not avail themselves OF the primary
system they would be taxed 10 pay the costs OF
The nominating machinery Of rival party
They would occupy exactly the same position as
the man who. sends hts children to pay school
instead Of to the public schools. He has to pay
his school lax exactly II his children ayailed
themselves Of the public schools He has no
ground for protest
Pursuing further this suggestion Of brutal
ity' to our Republican friends, much dilated
To
as strange that have heard thus far no pro
;. lasts fEoIa Republican soIrces May 1t aot be
true that the Republicans will hail the general
primary law as joyousy the Democrats? The
object Of the law IL by no means partisan. II
has for its object the greatest good TO the great
est number, and those who, shedding crocodile
tears over suppostttous Democratic brutality.
rush SO valiautly to the defense of the Republi-
cans Of the State viii find. doubt not. many
Republicans Of sound common sense who will
repudate the intimation that they opposed
to a measure championed by many of the most
distinguished men of their party.
As 10 the cost OF such a primary We doubt
that il would exceed five cents per capita of the
actual cast, but should it be several times
that sum- We believe it would be money well
spent, doing away, it does, with the existing
very radical objections TO the primary.
We note from various sources a disposition to
belittle the primary system with view to caus-
ing such dissatisfaction with II as may lead to
a return TO the old happy-go-iuoky days of mass
meetings, the Joy Of the machine politician and
the glory OF the wardheeler. wire puIler meet
ing-paeker. and triekster. We must confess to
some surprise when note some Of the men
who are voicng a demand for such retrogres-
slye step. We think safely assure them
that the people Of Virginia have about as much
intention Of killing the primary" as some ex-
press 1T, as they have Of doing away with cleo
trio power. the public school system, any other
il. modern convenience or necessity They desire
10 perfect the primary, but they viii quickly
squefoh any 10 destroy Il.
RISES SUPERIOR TO DISASTER.