The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-02-28

(Republican). providing that the bill
should be compulsory and that thoro
should be no nominations for AM
place to be filled by the voters. save
and except by the primary method.
The senator declared that the meth
cd OF naming candidates by any meth
cd save the primary was always to
the advantage of the interests They
care not what mans politics were,
for they were interested only IL nam
ing the candidates. They would con-
tribute to both parties and get thu
benefits when the election was over.
What party was In control was not
material to the interests. All they
desired was a chance to manpGlate
the committee which made tn, plans
for a nomination, other than W pri-
mary. He would have the election
forced on all the parties and &c have
them refused admission to the bal-ot
unless they nominated in the prin'a-
ries. In the course of his sp secr he
took occasion to say that he did not
exempt his own party from ths evils
Of the system of maE'ng nominations
b. any method save the primary.
Holt and Rison Oppose.
Messrs. Holt and Rison opposed the
amendment. Mr.. Holt said that sucn
a proposition had been consi aered IN
the committee and that the decision
had been reached that 1t was unwise
to force such method on pa.tics If
they preferred other modes foe nam
ting candidates.
Mr.. Rison said thai there great
many Democrats who are today
averse to the primary system. They
had favored the system which obtain
"a when their fathers were active IN
politics, and there wers many IN his
section of the State who oppose the
primaries for the reason .ha- there
are too many elections every year.
The voters would not CO ne out. and
the results of the elections in the
past had been proof of tbs.
Mr.. Gravatt Fa,nrs.
Mr.. Grayatt, Of Caroline. supported
the principle OF compulsory meas
ure. He declared that the old idea
Of what had been good enough for
father Is good enough for the son Is
one of the surest signs nf lack Of
progressiveness. keeping step with
the best in welfare of the safe and
the interests of the people at large.
It meant that there would and could
be no progress along any lines If
that obtained.
The amendment was rejected, Mr..
Catron tRepublican), declaring that
he would have supported the propo-
sition If the minority party were Civ
en- representation in the election ma
chinery.
All Primaries Same Date.
Mr.. Gravatt came up with an
anne ndment to provide that all of
the primaries for all officers were to
be held on the same date throughout
81 ha
vision of the bill. to hold the cleo
tons at the same time. IF practical
bic" was one of the evils complained
of by the people.
Mr.. Walker supported this amend
ment, saying that the purpose OF
getting bill that would meet the
demands of the people was TO have
all the primaries held at one and the
same time. The people were tired
of a multiplicity of elections. and
they wanted to have all of the cleo
tons held at one and the same time.
Mr.. Gravatt's amendment called
for nominations to be made the first
Tuesday in April for the elections to
be held In June. and that for the
places to be filled in November, to be
held the first Tuesday in August. This
amendment was agreed to.
The section dealing with the selec-
ton of election officers, defining their
duties and the like. was next taken
up. there being an amendment to that.
but before any vote could be reached
the senate adjourned for the day
Reported Adversely.
The senate committee on privileges
and elections yesterday made an ad-
verse report on the bill offered by Mr..
Paul. providing for a preferential pri-
mary for president. The bill is the
one which was presented early in the
session and made nominations for all,
officers compulsory
Ii required the election OF State
chairmen of the parties by popular
vote. The bill was drawn with good
deal of care, several of the best
features OF bills in other States hay-
ing been incorporated. The bill will
go to the calendar. but it will never
become Law.
Help Confederate Women.
From the senate finance committe
came a bill which had passed the
house. giving the Daughters of the
Confederacy $1,000 fol the purpose OF
caring for the women of the Confed-
eracy who are not inmates of any
homes which are supported by funds.
There are large number of these wo-
men, many of whom are dependent on
relatives and friends for care and sup
port.
The Daughters of the Confederacy
have the disbursinG of this money, and
III is done with good deal of discre-
ton. Some Of the benefciaries do not
know that il comes from the State.
their pride being such that they would
not accept that. They believe that ii