Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1911-11-20
THE PRIMARY SYSTEM.

The primary is likely to i've lone
time in Virginia. The people Will MOI
easily give up the right to vote 1ol
the men of their choice, and this the
primary alone allows.
That it must be improved no one
will deny, and legalized primary
seems necessary to purge the primar!
system of its most glaring objections
The Manassas Journal deals VIII
the great expense to the candidates
under the present system, and en-
phasizes what is plain to all tha'
without reform in expenditure II
will soon be difficult to find gooo
men who will run for office at all
AS our Manassas contemporary sus'
gests that the thing to do IS 10 re-
mold il. and offers the following sug'
gestions to that end.
First, every step in the system
should be legalized, and all the eA-
penses of the election machinery, IN
State primaries. should be borne b!
the State, and in city and county pri
maries, by the cities and counties
themselves. Under our form OF gov
eminent il is a matter OF primary I'M
portancc to the State that the rlgh'
candidate for public Office be selected
Nanifestly YOU cannot elect the
right man unless you first~select the
right man.
Provision should be made for the
participation of all political parties.
polling as many as total State vote
Of 5000 in the primaries. The Date!
of all primaries should be fixed D.!
law.
The amount that any candidate
may expend in his campaign shoulo
also be fixed by law. and not owe,
a certain percentage of the salary OF
The Office. Moreover, all elective
offices should be salaried ones.
Further. all Judges OF all elections
should be appointed by the judges 0
the corporation and circuit courts
from candidates named by the CHAIR
men OF lhe several political organlza
tions polling as many as total Vote
Of 5000 III the State, giving TO th'
Judge of the said courts the right 70
fill any vacancy and the right 10 re
ject any three persons so named D!
any one political organization IN any
city or county, and to ask lor auul-
tional recommendations. ANY olo
pickup will not do. Should there
he more than three political organic
atoms the three largest organizations
should be first recognized. and inc
minor ones. entitled by law to recog'
milton. should have the power OF
naming associate judges or watchers
10 serve without compensation. These
Judges of election should serve Tor {
term OF three years and shoulC
qualify in open court. the pres!dihe
nudge reading the election law 10 the
qualifying judges of election and the
clerk administering the oath, and any
Judge failing TO servo without Sooo
,nd sufficient reason should be liable
for contempt OF court.
Further. every voter should nave
! the right TO select any judge OF cleo
tion or watcher to mark his ballot
Finally, more effective laws against
bribery should be enacted. It should
not only be unlawful for any candl-
date to use money or whiskey or any
other consideration. but both the Civ
or and the receiver of a bride should
be disqualified and rendered ineiiGi-
BILE to public office, and jail penalty
I for each and every offensc to both
parties concerned.
The offender must be dealt with
| lust rs any other lawbrcaker. We
punish the thief that steals our chick
ems. and We must punish the man
who robs us of our sclf-govcrnmcnt
And let lis all recognize this 1un'
damental truth, if there are any
scoundrels in high places. the voter
himself is responsible for IT, Don
sit around and talk about bosses and
ring rule. Vote with the guiding mo-
tive to select men of character anc
fitness.
The last advice is particularly gooo
and there can be no doubt that /;
good primary plan that will meet thu
objections against the present system
can be drawn.