The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-02-13
LEGISLATIVE COMMENT
THE BYRD-FEATHERsTON PRIMARY BILL
By LEWIS Fl. MACHEN.

having the primaries held by the reEu-
lar election officers seems to be as
nearly fair as any. IL tnese officers
can be trusted to receive and count the
! ballots in general elections, there
seems to be no reason 10 believe that
they viii be untrustw1rthy when they
come to hold the primaries.
The worst possible plan OF appoint
incnt is that by partisan committees
for each primary. Whether the Judges
arc selected for the purpose Of being
partial or not, tho aspirants to whom
tho committees arc unfavorable can
not be made to believe that they arc
not being discriminate against
Tho plan OF having watchers in the
! polling places is less necessary in n
( leSalized primary. In which the judgcy
ana clerks are sworE officers. required
TO keep records OF their procscdinrs
and over which tho courts have tb,
Same supervision, as in cases of the
! regular elections, than in loose party
] primaries. where almost any, Kind or
FRAUD is likely to 60 undiscovered and
unpublished. Where the asturauts
voted for at any primary are numer-
Gus IT would be impossible for all NJ
them to have representatives, In the
polling places. and 1t would be i'm
/ practicable TO require the asp!rants IN
sent any group OF aspirants The
. general elections are held without
/ watchers. and the same oihciais ought
! TO be able 10 conduct the primaries
| without them. There are other means
| OF detecting frauds II they attempt to
commit them. and growing sent,-
ment In favor of fair elections viii
: make them smart for any derelictions
| of duty.
The prime Importance OF legislation
I on this subject is to surround the
| primaries With such safeguards as the
( law now throws around the general
7 elections The aspirant for a nomina
ton has the same right TO fair treat
ment at primaries as the candidate
/ VINO runs for office in the yene.al cleo
lions. Unfair treatment is destructive
! OF party harmony and violative of
| political deccncy.
! The nnxt most important thing ;s 10
HIT from the shoulders OF candidates
| at least a part OF the burden OF ex-
pense, which the party primary plan
: now puts upon them. The provisions
/ OF this bill get from the candidates in
/ tho shape OF rcaaonble entrance fees
I what VIII in most cases be sufficient
! to defray the expenses. The residue or
expense. II any TO come out OF the
/ public FUNDS WIFI be neglig ible
! The great objections heretofore
/ raised to nominations by primary has
/ been that only rich men could arford
I to run for office. yet some of thos "a
I who make this objection are among
the first to oppose any legislation
/ which tends 10 remove the evil The
Limitation in the Byrd Featherston
( bill to 10 cents party voter is about
/ as nearly feir>~compromise as could
I be devised. 1t is similar 10 that
I which prevails In many States. and it
IS difficult to give greater latitude
without giv,ns full sway to the
! corruptionists.
The most important feature OF the
I pending measure is that II gives tho
contest instead of TO 'he committees,
/ as ct present. Perhaps the least
judicial body on earth Is partisan
/ committee. wherever found. If an
ospirant has any ri.-hts at primary.
/ they ought to be legal rights. and the
/ cpurts are the proper tribunals 10
determine them.
/ Upon the whole. the Byrd Feather
ston bill IS as near perfect as 1t could
be made without being moro rigid
| than public sentiment woulu approve.
| 1t has been worked out with great
| care and Endorsed overwhel ,ingly By
the more numerous branch OF the Cen
eral Assembly. Ii is hoped by all
friends OF decent elections in tho
! State that the Senate Will insist upon
! vote on the measure SO that the
people may know who are the friends
. of pure elections and who are their
! foes.