The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-02-13
SUGGEST CHANGES
IN PRIMARY BILL
LIEt TENANT GOVERNOR AND COL.
ONEL WEST THINK MEASURE
CAN DE IMPROVED.
AMENDMENT OFFERED
FURTHER CONFEDERATION POST
PONED by SENATE COMMIT
TEE UNTIL NEXT Mon
DAY NIGHT.

Directing not TO the bill itself, but
to certain features. Lieutenant Gov
ernor j. Taylor Ellyson and Colonel
j. +. West, senator from Suffolk.
proposed changes to the Byrd pri-
mary bill last night before the Sem
ate Committee on Privileges and
Elections. Speaker Byrd, of the
House. declared he was willing to
accept any amendments improving
the bill or making 1t easier to enforce
its provisions.
Two provisions of the measure were
opposed by Mr.. Eilyson. He did not
favor the plan of limiting campaign
expenses of candidates for State of
flee, and thought method of deter
mining who is eligible to vote in pri-
maries should be left to State conven-
tons.
Il am not In favor of any limit for
the expenses OF candidates at all"
declared Mr.. Ellyson, unless you
change the bill from the present pro-
vision. BY allowing candidate for
State Office to spend 10 cents for
every voter man may spend as much
as $1,000. 1t should he placed at
from 81 900 TO $1,000. You put the
limit at $1,000 and YOU had as well
make 1t $50. o00 for a poor man. A
man can conduct campaign for
$1,000"
Mr.. Byrd douted this. and said that
expenses are much greater than they
once were. Letters to voters, he said,
would cost nearly 81, 600
Mr., Ellyson replied: Il frankly say
| see no use of limitations, but II
you impose them they should be made
small. one thousand dollars will al
low a man To make speeches through
out the State. and IL his speeches arc
any good the papers will print them.
In my opinion 1t il very import
ant" said Mr.. Eliyson. stating an
other objection. TO make clean cut.
definite declaration as To who may
enter a primary, | would let tho
State convention determine this and
let their conclusions become the Law.
The question OF who liz TO vote in
-nrlr4ar4- is aAa4at- VIA h aHR.4ak
practically all the trouble in tho last
primary.
But" interrupted Mr., Ryrd. that
was caused by the State COME ntioH.
which prescribed who vas a Demo
Crat.
The question Of who Is a Demo-
GRAFT" continued MIR EilYsr n, come
t4-i i-iftt It judges
To settle tho question. I consider this
the most vital question in the bill.
am satisfied the people OF the State
will he better satisfied II we have a
legaliged primary than under the
present system.
The committee will take up the bill
again next Monday night in eXeeu-
tive session, Some Of tho objections
raised last night ia an Informal dis
cussion were that Democrats could
manage their own primaries without
the aid of Republicans. Mr.. West OBJ
iected to putting Republican judges
In Democratic primaries unless pri-
marles are made compulsory. He said
Republicans held primaries in few
counties and that Democrats under
the law coalld not interfere i'm their
conventions and he thought 1t only
right they should sray out OF Demo-
cratic primaries. He was for pri-
mary bill. bur thought the old-fash-
toned plan OF having watchers a good
one.
Mr.. West suggested that in coun-
ties where Democrats alone hold pri-
maries only Democratic judges he al
lowed and thought the same plan adj
visable when reversed in counties
whore Republicans alone hold primary
elections.
DR.. c. L. GraVatt, Of Caroline. de-
clared he Was for "A primary law Of
any kind. but that the bill did not go
so far as he thought II should. The
bill as drawn. he said, practically dis
franchised voter who wanted TO
change his politics.
Mr.. Hart declared II was impossible
tn enforce the law If the bin became
an act. He said there was nothing to
prevent any body OF men or any party
holding any sort OF primary II wished.
Mr.. Byrd acknowledged his bin was
not perfect. but declared 1t WAS bet
ter than the present system of party
primaries.
The committee Will Monday night
consider all amendments and sugges.
tons offered.