Mexico weekly ledger., 1896-02-20
An Early Date Set.
APRIL II SELECTED FOR HOLD
ING THE COUNTY DEMO
CRATIC PRIMARY.
Inc Committee Decided to Select Con.
gressional Delegates at the Same
Time-Clark's Proposition.

The County Democratic Central
Committee met in the Circuit court
room at 1 O'Clock last Monday. The
meeting was called to order by Chair
man j. E. Sims, with Secretary J. ].
Steele in his place. Eighteen members
were present, with fsur represented
by proxy, BENZ. Downing being absent.
The members of the committee are
u. W. Newgent, FL. q. Berry, K. T.
Freeman, w. K. Potts, ]. j. Steele, ].
s. Hanna, BENZ. Downing, J. E. Sims,
j.. NJ. Daniel, H. B. Bush, J. L. Pierce,
t. G. Bolts, ]. f. Green, Fl. Weber.
N. Dix, r. H. Brown, A. E. jenkins,
j.. K. Britton, ]. r. Bratton.
The object of the meeting was to
fix the date for holding the county
primary and select delegates to the
Sedalia convention. During the NOR
ming S. b. Cook had seen nearly all
The members and expressed to them
his views on the date of holding the
primary, he wanting an early one.
From the final vote on the subject it
would seem that his interviews had
had the desired effect.
After the meeting was called to Or
der Squire Jenkins made a short
speech, in which he advocated hold
ing the County and Congressional
primary at the same time. j. L. Pierce
replied to Squire Jenkins, saying that
he saw no reason for being in a hurry
about holding the Congressional pri-
mary, and that he thought it would be
wise to select Congressional delegates
when delegates to the State Conven-
ton were selected. J. r. Bratton then
expressed himself as being in favor of
one primary to select county candi-
dates and Congressional delegates.
a motion was then made by Squire
Jenkins to fix April 18th as the date of
the primary. Mr.. II. @. Berry then
arose and said that he thought it best
to follow the precedent of former
committees and combine the con-
%gressional and county primaries. j.
j. Steele said that no such an early
date as April 18th should be agreed
upon and that heNwas not in favor
of any convention before April Is, the
date set for holding the State Con
vention.
Mr.. Bratton then offered as an
amendment to the first motion that
the congressional primary be held at
the same time as the county primary.
S. B. Cook, who was present, then
made a few remarks, the gist of which
was as follows: Sin all the history
of the Democratic party there has
never been a time when unselfishness
should be shown more than now, re-
gardless of individual interest. For
my part, 1 am willing to stand by any
action which this committee takes.
The rule for the past ten years in this
county has been to hold the county
primary and the primary to select
aonsressienal~deI gates al IA same
time, because the people always turn
out in greater force at a county pri-
mary than at any other time. This
vas the rule in 1886, 1888, 1890, 1892 and
1894, and / see no eas why it should
not be the rule now. By fixing the
date of the primary early there is less
chance for defeating the will of the
people by personal strifes arising.
81 am not asking for any favor;
fairness and justice is what l want. 1
have submitted my name as n candi-
date, and I have come before this con-
vention as a Democrat. If carry the
county l want to be elected, but if
Clark or any other man carries 1t, l
will pledge you that I'll take off my
coat and work as hard as I can to gain
a Democratic victory. What we have
to do is to fight against Republicans.
If Mckinley is nominated by the Re
publicans for Presidents as he probably
will be, there will be no lack of money
in all parts OF the country to elect
Republican candidates. l have spoken
to very few men about the nomination,
but if [ am nominated I want no mean
scramble. | want the matter settled
fairly by the people and think it will
be if they have a chance. Most of the
| voters in this county have made up
| their minds as to who they will vote
for for congress, and a long campaign
would change very few votes.
az pledge you that my campaign viii
be entirely free from abuse. Don't
| postpone matters. Submit the ques-
| ton to the people when the county
| officers are selected. / want no can
| didate for a county Office hurt by my
| candidacy or by the candidacy OF any
| other man who is running for the
nomination. What l want is a con-
vention held early enough to compete
with the Republicans, who will NOM
mate their candidate on March "a"
Squire Jenkins then said that as Mr.
Cook had been heard on the subjec
he thought it no more than fair that
Mr.. Clark should be called in to ex'
press his opinion. Accordingly Mr.
I Clark was called and arrived in q few
minutes.
CLARK's AIR PROPOSITION.
When informed as to why he hat
been called, Mr.. Clark spoke as follows
"Gentlemen of the Committee-Sinc'
| left Congress ] have not talked pol
itics for a half hour at a time unit
last Thursday. On that day 1 heart
that a proposition had been made tt
select delegates to the Congressional
Convention at the same time that thu
county primary is held in Audrair
County. I decided to enter the race
then and wrote each member of th'
County Committee a letter stating m.
views. / had not intended to an
nounce my candidacy SO soon, but O.
hearing this, decided to come out a
once. I do not think there are an,
ueople in the world who like fair deal
ing more than the Americans, and
am sure no portion of the American
are fonder OF such than the Demo
Gratis of Audrain County.
"To have the primary on April ]
would be regarded by the other coun
ties in this district in the nature OF
Such a thing as TIL