The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-03-05
Election Judges Plan
Storm Centre Of Pri-
mary Debate. :
LONG DISCUSSION
BARREN OF RESULT
Senate Reconsiders Amendment
Providing Separate Sets of
Judges for Two Parties, Then
Readopts It-Sudden So
licitude for Republicans
Meets With Ridicule.

At tho end ot three and ono-halr
hours OF additional debate in the SEN
ato yesterday the primary bill stood
exactly where il was when It's con-
Sideration' was taken up ut 1890 o'clock
as special and continuing order.
with the exception of the adoption Of
an inconseGuential amendment rcouir-
ing election officials to keep perula-
ncht tally sheets. every attempt to
change the proyisions of the bill az
reported from tho committee and sub =.
scquently amended was voted down
Senate leaders acknowledged at ad-
I"urincnt %eaicrday afternoon that as
lar as actual progress towards the
passage Of the primary bill was con-
ccrned yesterdays two sessions were
barren. y minority. led by Senators
IraSatt. Fletcher and Featherston, re-
sorted TO various plans to secure
amendments TO the section laying
Gown the requirements as to primary
election judges hut vas blocked at
every move by the forces aligned with
Chairman Holt. OF the Privileges and
ElcctionS Committee, and Chairman
sison. OF tho Senate Democratic eau
Gus.
The consideration OF the hill was
resumed at 1890 o'clock and continued
without marked contest until after
the adoption Of . minor amendment
offered by Senator Gravatt requiring
the printing OF tally sheets which
shall he preserved by election officers
- documents OF permanent record.
The amendment was Incorporated af-
ter objection had been withdrawn by
senator's iioit and Rison.
pnScs Way to Long Debate.
At THIS point senator Brock moved
thai the senate reconsider the vote
10y which it adopted on Tuesday the
S"wder amendment. providing separate
sets OF primary election Judges foI the
TWO parties of the State, IT, be up-
pointed by the local electoral boards.
and 20 bo Of the same political faith
- tho party over whose election they
are TO preside. The motion paved the
way for debate which lasted the rest
OF the morning, and took UP all OF the
afternoon session.
Senator Fletcher supported the mo-
tion onered by senator Brock. explain
ing that If the Senate voted 10 recon
slider. a new amendment would be in
lroduccd Offering a compromise plan
for the selection Of primary judges,
which would meet the views of many
senator's who are satisfied with neither
the Sowder plan nor the plan described
in tho bill The adoption of the mo-
ton was urged by senator Feather
s,ou and Senator Walker. and was op-
posed by senator Holt IT was put TO
4 vote and carried. 20 TO Is, the mem
bers voting ;is follows:
hycs-bianks, Brock, buchanan. Can
non, Drcwry. lichols, Edmondson.
F>sthorstom. Fletcher. Gravatt Hart
Hobbs Losne-, Marp, Paul Saunders,
smith. Thornton. Walker aud West-2o.
Noes-Eowcrs, Ca.tron. Early. Gar
rett, Gayle Holt, Masslc, Moncure,
Montague. parr. Rinehart. Rison. Roy
all, Sowder. Tavcnner and Wendcnburg
II
Feathcrston's Amendment.
With the motion carried, Senator
Featherston offered as a substitute for
the Sowcer amendment new amend.
tncnt Ina kinG the guiar election Judges
the judges Of primary elections when
ever both parties hold primaries at the
same time When the party primaries are
held separately, the amendment pro-
v;ded the judges of each such primary
shall be ii board OF three Judges com
posed Of the regular election Judges
OF the faith OF tho party holding the
primary. and another judge, or two
other judges, Of the same political
faith appointed by the local electoral
boards, go as TO place each party pri-
mary under tho direction OF three
judges OF the same party attiliation.
Under the Featherston plan In the
case OF Democratic primary the
Judges would have been the two rcru-
lar election Judges that are always of
til: majority party, and one special
Judge appointed from the Democratic
ranks by tho local electoral board III
the case OF Republican primary the
judge would have been the minority
member of tho regular election judges.
ana two Republican Judges appointed
by the local board
Tho amendment was designed TO
remedy the objection raised against
admitting Republican, Judges to par
ticipation in Democratic primaries and
vice versa when the election WAS pure
ly a party affair The conduct of
Joint primaries was In no wise changed