The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-08-10
PROPOSE PRIMARY
TO NAME A MAYOR
DIVERSITY OF OPINION IN CITY
COMMITTEE PRECIPITATEs A
WARM DEBATE.
TO SEE COUNCIL FIRST
COMMITTEE OF FIVE WILL FEEL
THAT B0D1's PuLsE,-UFFI-
GALS NAMED FOR CON
GHEssIONAL PRIMARY,

HiBut SSlSeltI JuuSts, FFSlsLi dIb anu
clerks for the congressional primary
next Thursday. fixed essential detail
regarding the remuneration of these
officials. and then wrangled for nearly
an hour over the matter of holding q
preferential primary To recommend a
successor to Mayor Richardson.
After the list Of primary officials
had been read and endorsed as a
whole the question of the per diem
allowance of these servants was raised.
Nobody knew whether the city paid
the judges 80 a day or s.. To settle
the question beyond peradventure Of
a doubt a blanket resolution, offered
by Or. Darlington. and variously
amended, allowing the sixty-six off,
Gals 81 each for food, the ward SUI
perintendents So each for carriage kire,
and obligating the committee to a
guarantee to the Judges of IS per
diem. was adopted unanimously.
Debate Primary Idea.
The essentials disposed of. Commit
teeman Myers precipitated the flow Of
oratory with a resolution to the effect
that II was the sense of the conn tit
tee that a preferential -.~imary sh ,ulj
be held under the Byrd act, 10 recon-
mend TO council successor to Mayor
Richardson. Chairman Miles Morti1
called Captain Myers to the chaif and.
taking the floor. undertook to give
the committee some advice In the MAJ
ter of putting in ON the legal pro-
negatives of other folks. He cited the
experience of the bar association, saY-
ing that ii had undertaken TO make
some recommendations TO the gov
ernor. and had been, told to mind Us
own affairs. We were turned down
flat'' he said, though he stated very
frankly that the governor had a per
feet right under the law to make his
own appointments without suggestions
or recommendation He advised that
the council be consulted before any
steps were taken to hold a primary.
A substitute was then offered for
Captain Myers resolution, TO the ef
feet that committee Of five be APP
pointed to feel the pulse OF the c,'dn-
eli before any action was taken. This
failed to receive a second. and The de-
bate waxed fast ard furious TIE
opposition argued that Mayor I::charl-
son had not vet resigned and il would
DC uQRFaCeIAI al inns time to axe Any
steps in the matter.
Others argued that he was liable 10
resign at the next meeting of 4, mel.
and as council was required by ordt
nance to appoint his successor i'm
mediately--deiays were dangerous.
ComTitteeman Ferrandni led the CO..
t@rie that strongly opposed the primary
idea. declaring that the council rep
resented tire people; fire matter IF ill-
ing Offices had always been left - u
and why diverge from the custe m nov?
Jimmy Allen sad.
The debate gave Committee Jimmy
Allen an opportunity TO depiore the
fact that the committee was drift
ing away from Democracy used
10 be a Democratic committee he
said, he didn't know what it was
now. Later on he arose and remarked
graveiy that he had listened and
learned and had finally come TO the
conclusion that the selection OF
mayor could he safely entrusted 70
the council ANYHOW. he Said-and
the sally brought down the house
- it's the. first time they viii have
had the privilege OF eiecting q mayor.
so why take 1t away from them"
The motion to lay the whole matter
en- the table finally prevailed. Com
mitteeman Myers failing in his effort
to sectire recorded vote.
With the death blow administered
to the resolution the committee held
an informal parley. Captain Myers
brayely held out for his original mo-
lion, stating that IL did not commit
the committee to primary but mere
~ broke the ice and paved the way
for an expression of the voice Of the
people which he did not believe the
council would dare to disregard.
Chairman Martin handed out some
quiet advice bearing on the legal as.
pect of the situation. reminding the
committee that under the Byrd act
sixty DAYS notice was required for
holding primary and II Mayor Rich
srdsQn should resign his successor
would have 10 be elected immediate
~ by council
viii Look Into Matter.
After much backing and filling on
all sides Or Darlington offered a re-
solution that committee Of i've be
appointed To look into the "adVisa-
,ility and legality, of holding pre-
erentiai primary to recommend to the I
council successor to Manor Rich /
lrdson. and this was adopted. Chair /
nan Martin announced that he would .
iefer the appointment of the commit I
ee until later.
w Committeeman Jimmy Alien. that /
A motion. offered during the melee
he committee instruct the primary
.fficials 10 prevent any voters save
Iyed in the wool Democrats from vot-
ng in the primary. was ruled out of
rider. and by the chairman with the
tatement that after they were named
y the committee the judges were their
wn bosses and the committee had no
irhf IN instruct them tn do ANYTHING |
nd a subsequent resolution by the
anne doughty committeeman that the
ommittee appoint challengers at SIS
er diem to challenge every voter who
anne To the polls, failed to receive
second. Mr.. Allen again dcp1ered
he fact that the committee WIS get
Ing away from Democratic doctrine
nd his fear that the old shia was
bout to slip Its cables created some !
title mirth.
With the appointment of a COM
,ittee. consisting of Messrs: TAYLOR. !
'urcell and Ferandini to secure hall
, which the committee may receive
he returns next Thursday night, the
1eeting was formally adjourned
Following are the polling places,
Judges, registrars and clerks officially |
elected by the committee. the first
AIMED in each precinct being the
egistrar and judge, the second the
udge and the third = e clerk:
Lee Ward.
First Decentralization and Broad
treets: Heath j. Rawiey, r. Grayson
)ashffeld. -~-- Blount.
Second Preeinct--No. SIC West
,road:' r. F.. Malone. w. j. LYMAN,
!. w, Percivaf.
Third Precinct--No. 1905 West