The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-11-04
mann FOR STATE
PRIMARY PLAN
Would Lift Cost of Primaries
from Shoulders of
Candidates
TO DISCUSS MEASURE
FULLY IN MESSAGE
Little Doubt That General
Assembly.Will Enact Pro-
per Law to Effect
Change Proposed

On general principles / favor the
payment OF primary expenses by the
State and the enactment and enforce
ment Of such laws a. will insure alb
solutely fair and honest conduct OF
such primaries under State control"
In this way Governor William
Hodges Mann on yesterday without
hesitation and with emphasis stated
his views on the primary question.
Inc Governor added that under pres
emf iaws II was perfectly possible to
nave absolutely honest primaries. AS
the courts will punish corruption in
the conduct OF such election. Il. mat
ter being very largely one Of the pro-
Per enforcement.o Jaws already In
existence.
Further discussion OF the primary
situation. however. was deferred by
the Governor until the second We'd
nesday In January. when his mes
sage to the General Assembly Will be
read. With the above statement In
view there IL absolutely no doubt that
the Governor will recommend the
adoption OF a State primary system
by which the burden OF the cost II
ire conduct Of primaries will be shift
ed from the shoulders or the candi-
dates TO the public
Discussed Entire Year.
The question has been very much
discussed during the entire year as
10 change in the primary system,
placing 1t under the control OF the
state and conducted at state expense,
thereby permitting the noorest aspi-
rant to enter the political lists and
throwing around the primaries the
strong arm of the election laws.
The Rfchn1ud NtrUypfap usos
early advocate Of what has been
termed tho option primary plan
giving the political parties OF the
state the right to have their pri-
marias conducted under state su-
peryfsion and MT State expense or
to use the convention system OF nomt-
nations as they saw nc.
This Optional primary rlan'' win
enable the Republican party or yir-
ginia. II IL see At, to retain its pres
emit plan OF conducting its affairs. al
though the only Republican organi-
zation heard from. that OF Rocking
ham county. has declared IN favor
of State primary law.
Advocates or the plan say that II
viii relieve the Democratic party OF
Virginia OF the charge OF forcing upon
the minority party a plan for the
conduct OF its party affairs not in ac-
cordance with the wishes Of the mem
hers OF that party. As the primary.
under the system proposed. will be
at public expense. OF course the Re-
publican taxpayers win have II pay
their part thereof and would be err
titled to have proper provision made
for the choosing or Their candidates.
Should tEAy. however. decline to adopt
the system It wouli be on a parity
with the parent who, while paying his
school tax, sends his child to pri-
waite school instead OF to the public
school provided for him. He has the
privilege, hnt fails TO avail himself
of It. OF getting value received for his
school tax by making use of the pub
lie school.
Interesting Feature.
In some Of the States which now
have State primaries the objection
able feature OF members of one po>
litical party voting In the primary os
another party Is eliminated by the
voter registering as a member OF
particular party. He thereupon be-
comes privileged to participate in that
party's primary. and In no other until
and unless he changes his political
allegiance in the public Ananner OF
changing his political Repatriation.
1t is freely charged and not de-
MED by high officials OF tho Demo
cratic party Of Virginia that In all
important primary contests between
Democrats a tremendous number Of
Republicans vote In the primary. This
IL especially true Of many OF the
Southwest Virginia counties. and Is
known to have existed in a less mark
ed degree in many other sections OF
the State.
1t is not now seriously doubted that
a snAaxur~ carrying all the ,essentix:
features OF tina optional urinary plan
will be carried through the next Leg
islature OF Virginia Speaker Evelyn
Richard Byrd championed the pro-
posed measure some months ago, ana
will be found actively in its support