The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-05-14
WEDNESDAY, MAY II. 1913.
THAT ANNEXATION REFERENDUM.

by the results Of the ex-parte action of the city
Democratic committee In calling a primary to
ascertain the will of the people of Richmond in !
regard to annexation and that they will proceed
to suitable territory regardless of the out
come of the fake primary thus called will, of
course come In for strong adverse criticism and /
probably for denuneiaton from those opposing
annexation. but their seeming defiance of the
popular wish is not so fragrant as appears on the
surface. unless the majority against annexation /
prove overwhelming.
Under certain very probable circumstances this
defiance will not even be seeming; 1t will be held
such by violent partisans only.
legal election or All authoritative party pri.
mary is binding. An expression of opinion
certained in unofficial manner is, of course.
not legally binding and whether it should be
held to be morally SO by the officials instructed
thereby depends upon variety of things. Should
a heavy vote be cast In the unofficial primary to
he held in connection with the official city pri-
mary in June, and should the majority against
annexation be so large as to constitute a majority
of all the interested people of the city, whether
qualified voters or not the annexation committee
should bow to the mandate of the people, thus
Enthusiastically expressed and drop the whole
question. Under no other conceivable circum-
stance should the committee pay any attention
to the result of the primary. Unless this happen
it should reach a conclusion based solely upon the
merits of the question.
This referendum vote, called by the city Dem
ocratic committee is called in the interest of
far
tory to themselves. In 1t only certain proper
tion Of the qualified vote of the city can be cast
and Of those not qualified can participate.
Many who are qualified to take advantage of the
opportunity to express their sentiments will re-
frain from doing so for variety Of reasons, chief
among which viii be the fact that they regard
the referendum unofficial and something in
which they have no more interest than mass
meeting called by the advocates of one policy.
The opponents Of annexation viii vote almost
snlidly, for IL trey who We're Instrumental in
securing the farcical referendum. The advocates
of the policy may or may not vote Hundreds
OF advocates-interested advocates property own
ers and taxpayers-wiu not participate for the
simple reason that they are barred. Republicans
and Progressiyes. of whom there are about one
thousand. according to the figures of the last
presidential election, barred Several thou
sand unqualified voters are barred
Those unable to participate in the referendum
constitute one-haf the eligible vote of Richmond.
Those who unable TO participate. and for
reasons will not participate, will constitute prob
ably twothirds OF the eligible vote Of Richmond
In legal election or authorized primary those
who have failed to qualify would not be consid
cred They would have known the election or
primary to take place. would have been
warned-as they have been--of the means where
by they might qualify. and would have been
urged repeatedly to take the necessary steps
This referendum, however was called without
warning, and after the last chance for qualifca-
ton for the ballot had passed. That these men
cannot participate in the municipal primary ia
their own fault. They are unable to participate
because they did not care TO qualify themselves
for the duty. But they knew nothing of the ref
erendum the question Of annexation They
Rad no knowledge of its approach, and when
they learned OF f. fl was too late for them to
qualify should they so desire. Whether this was /
done purposely by the powers which forced the /
referendum is beside the question. 1t was done
That the disqualified element of our population
could have qualified to cast their ballots in the
coming primary is true but It is not true that
they could have qualified TO take part in the |
referendum after the referendum was called.
Even this might have made slight difference
did our law provide for & referendum In that
case these unqualified men would have known
that a legal referendum could be held. Not
knowing this. because such is not the case, they
were taken off their guard when an unofficial ref.
erendum was called. 4
Did our laws provide for referendum how
ever, the Republican and Progressive voters of
the city would not be disqualified, more voters
would be qualified. probably, and the election
would have been called by constituted authori-
ties and not by the city Democratic committee
The coming referendum is no more binding
than mass meeting a petition to the city Il
council. In either Of these cases the council
annGxaton, would not be swayed by {
the fact that there several thousand at the
b