The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-04-19

primary with all that Is sood In Tho
cohN4 ntion system, Major Miles NJ.
martin. chairman OF tho City Demo-
cratic COMMITTEES, has prepared a plan
Tor the selection by tho Democratic
| voters OF Richmond OF the Ave men 10
compose the first Administrative Boa I'd.
In suggesting the plan for public con
( sidera ton. Major Martin is speaking
as one member. not as chairrnari, but
II is known that his views have the
approval or large number Of mem
bers of the City COMMITTEES. Briefly.
he proposes precinct primary for
election OF delegates to d city convea-
! uon. one TO each 100 registered and
qualified voters, the Democratic nom;-
meas for the first board TO be named
| by the mass convention
N1ajcr Martins plan Is tho first oon-
crete suggestion put forward in a
definite way. thoughtful men have
realized that the charter change. give
, wonderful opportunity. bu. that in
the hands OF small men the new plan
Will be dangerous experiment. for
the city to make
What the Hoard VIII DO.
1t lie proposed that the city selec,
five men OF experience and ability, 70
whom IL VIII tnirust all OF it's business
affairs. The board will elect the CITY
Engineer. the Building INJECTOR all
heads OF city departments. and caoosc
more than 1900 employees for city
work: II VIII eSpcnd NOR, ,han So
100000 a year; Will award all con-
tracts. pay nil bills, supervise and ap-
prove all public work, determine where
and OF what character all improve
mcnts are 20 be mads run the Gas
Works. the electric works. the Water
Works. and have supervision OF streets
parks. cemeteries. markets. Alnshous.
and harbor improvements.
In clear and succ.nct statement,
Major Martin declares for the primary
system were ono man TO be elected.
Then the top man would be the evil
dent choice of the voters taking part
in tho primary. But IN this case I'VE
men are TO be chosen at one time
There arc eighteen or twenty posi-
bie candidates, and with the vote al
ridcd Il IS possiblc-indecd. very
prof abie-that some man may be NOM
mated by very small minority Of the
actual votes cast
Minority light Elect.
y man might be declared the nomi-
nee OF the Democratic party who mad
received not more than 1000 or L.
zoo votes In the primary. BIZ Major
Martins plan every precinct in the
city VIII be represented In the con
vention in exact proportion to its
voting strength. The convention Will
be made UP OF the peoples reprcsen-
tativcs, and Its selection OF ave men
viii be the choice OF the Democratic
party OF Richmond-not the choice or
n small minority who because OF the
accident of split votes. chance to lcal
the ticket In a fre-for-uil primary
II might as well be cand1dly ad-
rn!ttd that among tho twenty or more
candidates now mentioned there are
men OF small experience and little
" n n ffra ~ -.
prises. Men whe ravn fever earned
one-fourth OF the salary proposed TO
BIO probably the city are being urged
by scores of their friends" to serve
tho city at $4,000 a year. Nothing
has been brought forward questioning
IN any way the character or integri-
~ of any candidate. but many mem
ters OF the City Committee wko have
consulted Chairman Martin do not sec
mat 1t would reflect much credit on
the Democratic party or on the city
TO allow small minority OF the vot-
ers OF the city TO place $500 clerks in
sS'oeo administrative positions of vast
and far-reaching Importance and re.
sponsiblity.
Chairman Mnrtin's Views.
Chairman Martin gave out yester-
day the following statement of his
own views. explaining that he was
speaking for himself and not for the
CITY Democratic Committee:
Tho personnel OF the Administra-
tive Board and the method of seIec-
ting them are. In my judgment, the
most serious questions that have come
before the people of Richmond for
many yaars. If these gentlemen are
nominated by a direct primary under
the recent act known as the Byrd
primary law, we will BIO confronted
by the fact that all Ave OF them may,
and in all probability will. be noml-
mated by a vote of a minority of the
Democratic voters OF the city. If they
are nominated by what is known as a
two-day primary. the legality of this
method being doubtful. the same re-
suit will follow. unless, by several
primaries. the elimination OF tho low
est candidate be continued until Zach
of tho nominees shall receive a ma