The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1891-12-04
A Question for the County
Democratic Executive
Com mitt66.

Democratic Executive
Committee.
It seems to us that the present sys-
tenn of appointing the Democratic
Executive Communities for the
County, ia about as slip-shod a mau-
Der Of doing an important work, as
could well be devised. The objections
to it are many.
The first objection, and perhaps the
principal one, is to the time of choOs-
Ing the committee. Heretofore the
committee has been made up after
the county elections are all over, but
in time to manage the legislative and
state campaigns. And the committee
chosen at this time, serve for two
years.
Now the objection to this Is that
the important work of the committee
is over when the county election has
been held. The state offices of course
are important, but we seldom have
any fight over them, after the con-
ventions have named the men. The
tussle is always over the county Off
ces, and it is then that the active
services Of the committee is needed.
For that reason, the committee ought
to be made up with immediate and
direct reference to county election
then pending.
Another objection to the present is,
that the districts are represented by
just anybody who may be present
from that committee, or whose name
may be thought of and called at the
time. Whether this man is in line
with his party and will reflect the
wishes of his party, are questions not
seriously considered at the time, as,
under the system in vogue, it is
nobOdy's business to inquire, investi-
gate or object. This was very clearly
shown last year when one of the COM
mittee became an independent candi-
date against the regular nominee.
Now with these objections bluntly
and generally stated, The HERALD
will suggest a new system to the COM
mittee.
It is this. When the committee
meets on the 18th of this month, as
they are called in this issue to do; and
when they proceed to call a cOnven-
tion or primary election to be held to
nominate candidates for the various
offices, we suggest to them that they
include in that call an election to be
held ct the same time and places, and
under the same restrictions, for the
election OF q Chairman Of the County
Democratic Executive Committee.
Let q man be elected to this offie by
the votes of the Democrats of the
county. When he has been so chosen,
coming fresh from the people and an
election then pending, give him the
power to make his own cabinet. Let
him name q representative from each
district in the county to serve with
him, and make him responsible to the
people for the complexion of his COM
mittee.
Some will argue this will give one
man a good deal of power. So it will.
That Is what he ought to have. I'm
less he has the power, he cannot do
much good for his party. 1t will give
him the power to select workers and
not drOnes, to serve with him. II
will give him the power to select an
harmonious committee; a committee
of Democrats; a committee who are
OF one way Of thinking; a committee
that will pull together. Under the
present system there has not been q
committee for years without some
laggards and some soreheads.
Time makes wOndrOus changes. A
committee selected two years before
an election, may become all out of
joint before that election comes.
A Chairman elected on the same day
a ticket 10 nominated, will be-must
be-in touch with the majority of his
party, else he could not be elected.
In making up his committee, he
would compose it of the friends of the
various candidates who have just re-
ceived the endorsement of their party.
Being personal as we'll as political
friends Of the nominees, the party
ticket would have a committee active
aud enthusiastic to the man for the
success for the entire ticket.
When the August and November
elections of that year were over, the
work OF the committee would be done.
II, In the next two years any of them
changed their political complexion,
a new election would be held at the
beginning of the next canvass, and
the committee could-And wOuld-be
purified.
The foregoing is a rOughestatement
of the proposition that will be brought
before the committee at its next meet |
ing. 1t strikes the HERALD as a |
good idea. In the meantime we hope |
every member of the committee will |
give 1t his serious consideration, and |
upon the subject we invite commune
cations from any Democrat.