The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-02-15
EARLY PRIMARY DESIRABLE.


The action of the State Democratic central
committee in placing the date for the primary
for State elective Offices as early in the summer
as possible under the provision of the plan will
commend itself to all people who have noticed
some of the results following the holding of a
late primary.
According to the State primary plan, adopted
Thursday night the primary must be held not
less than sixty and not more than ninety days
before the succeeding general election for which
candidates are nominated in the primary The
elections next autumn occur on November 9TH
and August 5th being exactly ninety days before
this date the primary for State officers could
be held no earlier under the plan.
This is early enough. 1t gives three months
after the primary for contests, If there should
be any necessary for these. and provides amply
time for the successful candidates to rest from
the labors Of the canvass preparatory to opening
the campaign for election to the Offices for
which they win have been nominated by the
party.
TO hold late primaries is to invite trouble
and dissatisfaction and to pave the way for con-
fusion at the general election. The Watson
Turnbuli contest Is still fresh in mind. The
Fourth district congressional primary was held
on September 21st or about forty days before
the November elections. An exceedingly close
vote resulted In contest instituted by Congress
man Turnbull, who lost on the face OF the returns
by six votes out of a total of several thousand
cast. Naturally MIR. Turnbull demanded a re-
count and this finding the result practically un.
changed he contested The matter was CON
sidered twice by the district committee and once
by the State committee, which decided the mat
ter at midnight of the last day possible. Only
fifteen days interviewed between the holding of
the primary and the date upon which the name
of the successful candidate should go on the
ballots In that fifteen days the contestants
were compelled TO secure innumerable afhdavits,
otherwise work up their cases and submit the
matter to the district committee, which was
compelled TO work through nights until day
time for an appeal to <he State committee which
was foreshadowed by statements of counsel for
The opposing contestants, When the ease was
appealed ii was only by strenuous efforts that
Chairman Elyson was able to secure a sitting
of the committee before the expiration of the
time limit and it was only by limiting the time
OF the contestants and hearing the evidence at
one sitting that it was possible TO complete the
hearing and reach decision In time for the
placing of the name OF the successful candi-
date upon the ballot.
The result Of this contest was accepted in
good faith and no complaint was made by the
defeated contestant but it might have been
otherwise AS it was neither contestant had
time TO prepare his case and to that extent
injustice was done both Fortunately, also it
happened that the Democratic nominee had NOT
opposition for election. Had there been a strong
Republican organization in the Fourth district,
Judge Watson, the nominee of the primary. just
emerging from strenuous primary canvass and
still more strenuous contest before the party
authorities would have been compelled to plunge
at once into campaign for election and would
had hui thirty days in which to canvass the
district Under the circumstances the natural
result would have been an increase in the Re-
publican vote and falling OF In the Demo
cratic vote
Ihe situation was bad enough as it was. but