The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-09-14
SUBCOMMITTEE TO
HAVE NO EASY TASK
WILL HARMoNIxE PARTY PRIMARY
PLAN WITH TINE NEW AND
COMPLEX LAW.
PRESENTS A PROBLEM
DEEPER LEADERS DELvE INTO TT
THE MORE COMPLEX TT BE-
C0MES-NEw Law - con-
TRAJECTORY.
PRESENTS A PROBLEM

with the new primary law is entrusted,
will have no cas- task, according to
weil-informed legal authorities. In
stead of few trivial points of var
lance with the party plan, those who
have given the matter thought be-
lieve there are a thousand and one
POINTS" a. State Chairman Ellyson
expressed 1t yesterday, in which the
party plan and the law co not con-
form and in which they must con-
form. The party. committed to the
primary system, must conduct its
primartes in accordance with the new
law. and the party plan must har-
monixe with the law whether the
party leaders like II or not 1t may
later. but at present II IN the law OF
the land" written on the statute
books, and there you are.
A Oemplex Problem.
Governor Ellyson, who was asked
to point out briefly the essential points
wherein the party plan and the law
differ, almost threw up hts hands In
despair, II would not attempt to give
an opinion on 20 complex q question"
he said, until had gone into the
question thoroughly. Like many others
/ have read the new law over any
number, of times and am. OF course,
AANAh3ARA VAN sAAN pAhks RsSAs oaN NAh~
deeper you delve into 1t the more
problems 1t presents. There are a
thousand and one points In which
the Law IL At variance with the party
plan. and moreover the law. on It's
face. presents some contradictions.
and the trouble you'll find In secur-
ing opinions on the subject Ia that
hardly any two lawyers you see will
hold to the same construction of these
&c., trtS< u4p -
Governor Ellyson stated that he
did not by any means intend TO con-
vey the impression that ten MEM
bers Of the State committee could not
make - successful Job OF harmonix-
Ing the party plan and the law. but
that 1t would be no easy task and
would require study, time and trnn-
BILE. He will not name the subcum-
mittee probably for a month, A.
naturally desires to appoint the men
best lifted for the task. ,s...
Color Zine Not Draws.
Governor Ellyson doee not agree
| with the opinion Of Attorney General
Williamson do other prominent
Democrats approached yesterday
| that the new primary law prohibits
1 the negro vote. The new law says
/ that any person who takes a pledge
] to support the nominee OF the prl-
mary. or who has voted the Demo-
cratic ticket in the last preceding cleo
| tin, or who did not vote Mt all In the
| preceding election, may participate In
| the primary. No color line 10 drawn
though there v a provision In the
| law which permits the county. city or
State COMMITTEES to make such sddi-
| ticpaI provision regulating the vote
} NJ
| thereby hangs the tale. The party
u, imary plan specifies white Demo
| Gratis, and therein rests one great and
| important pofnt OF variance. The
word white" was inserted In the par
/ Il plan by Governor Eliysoa himself
when the state committee oheyed this
| kshest OF the convention OF 1908 d.
rectfnx it. There have been no In
stYuctions from any State convention
| since that time TO alter that verhiags
unIe~a the resolution OF tina Nor
felx convention this year instuctins
the committee to make the plan ocf.
Germ with the law could be 81 con.
ssrucd, and Governor EIlyson SD con-
strues 1t. The sum ana substance
ce Il is,'' he said yesterday, .th1r tne
party il committed to the primar,
plan and therefore the primaries mus
! be held under the new law; the party
plan must be amended to conform
| with that law Whether we like this
law or not has nothing to do with
| tho case: we must 60 by 1t and thai
In the subcommittee task and nj
easy one. for many reasons.
EAw II Contradictory.
For instance. while the party 1!
| committed to the primary plan. ont
/ section of the new law says that tht
city, county and State committee,
may call elections by the direct ori
mary plan or some other method.
1 If any OF the committees. fromtop II
bottom werss to decide to hold . con
\ veutiun fur nominating purposes taTcrs
would be howl from many quarters
4 because the party was committed Il
primaries. No political party Is forced
4 to hold primaries under the new law
but II they decided to have prsmarie
they must hold them under the Hyrt
law. Since the convention at Nor
/ folk committed tho party to the sys
4 TEN, tho new law must be followed o,
the primary would be invalid.
Cine Interesting point which deyeI
oped yesterday. that did not com,
from Governor Ellyson. In the fac
that the city committee was not with
In It's province when 1t issued in
: counted that did not contain nv
name INCREASED.
The fact that 1t did not comply witt
/ the new Law Was not discovered unit
Il was too late. Whether the election
could be contested on these ground
, In 4 matter for the defeated candi
! dates to consider.
Il There lie one thing absolutely Ger
tain---the new law Ia In hearty dis
favor with party leaders and there
no doubt but that the next assembl
!. viii bo called upon to amend II.