The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-04-15
PARTY SUPREMACY IN PERIL.
THE EVILS OF CRIsPs PRIMARY
SCHEME now PLAIN.

State House OmcIaIs Convinced Thaa
IL JeOPhrdiEes the Success OF the
Democratic Ticket In the OctObeE
ElectiOn-Enorts 10 he Made to
Have the Senatorship Issue EIimi~
mated From the June Primary.
Atlanta, Ca, April l4.-secretary Smith
and ex-Speaker Crisp left at noon today
for Washington on the Southern vestibuls
train. Neither will return 10 Georgia.
unless something unexpected happens, be.
fore the first OF May. At that time Mr.
Crisp says he will resume his engages
ments to speak and Secretary Smith an-
nounces that he viii insist that the ex-
speaker fulfill at least all the appoints
ments heretofore made with him. So
when Mr.. Crisp returns to the state the
secretary will come back also 70 take uu
his discussion OF the currency question
where II has been dropped on account Of
Mr.. Crisp's Illness.
1t Is not all improbable, however, thaa
betweeR now and the time when the two
distinguished gentlemen expect to return
to the stump their friends will interiors
and prevent a resumption Of the Joint
discussion. The party leaders are deter~
mined to have no more Of them, IL they
can accomplish that end. Mr.. Crisp atilf
maintains his willingness to meet Mr.. dus
Bignon when he comes back to Georgia.
and unless there is an agreement an
around to leave on the Joint debate in tho
future he Will probably meet the savans
nah man.
The state house officers. who will havs
the brlnt of the battle to bear in the
election this fall, are all more or less
exercised over the turn that has been
taken by the senatorial campaign, noa
only do they regard the recent Joint de-
bates as having done The party no good.
but the determination on the part Oh
Mr. crisp and his friends TO force vote
OF June Is also causing no little
uneasiness. Letters are being recelved
every day by the state house officers.
which show plainly that II the senatorial
primary is insisted upon in June Il viii
cost the party thousands OF votes at tihe
October election, when the state uckeu
VIII IN all probability have to face a CONS
binauon OF republican, and populists.
All the state house officers are opposed
TO holding the senatorial primary ln June,
and whenever their friends Consulted
them on the subject they urge them
strongly to defer this matter until the reg
ular election. 1T is not unlikely tfan
some official notice will be taken OF the
situation by the state officials. who are
10 be voted for on the democratic tick~
ct This fall II Mr.. Crisp and his friends
continue TO insist upon the vote being taxi
en- In June.
The state house officers are averse to
taking steps in the matter because they
think that they might be regarded as ofii-
cious and intermeddling with a campaign
which Is no business of theirs strictly
speaking, but the situation as viewed from
tne capitol Is becoming serious. II -
senatorial plan OF campaign or a sacrifice
OF the state ticket. The trouble abour
taking vote for senator at the June
primary, as regarded by the state house
officers, is that the selection of the sena-
tor az that time will very naturally Gauss
me friends and supporters Of the side
mat is defeated to feel apathetic when the
october election occurs, and they will nor
take the same interest In that election a.
II the senatorial matter was then up for
Being pitched solely on the hnanciar
question the senatorial contest Is the one
hhght that divides the party. and would
mold the absorbed interest Of both sides
until 1t Is settled. If this fight ends I'm
June, one OF the most prominent OF the
state state, house officers to-day said he be-
ieved that 1t would cost the party 25,0O0
votes IN the October election, at least
Mr Crlsp is, however, welded to tha
plan OF having the senatorial issue set1
tled az the June primaries. He believes
also that the congressional race will am
be settled at the same time. Before leav1
ing Tor Washington to-day Mr.. Crisp gave
the correspondent of the Morning News
a. short interview of this phase Of the
situation. THE June primary" said he
rs the proper time for settling the sem
atorshlp question. You know we always
make our platforms first and then non1i-
nate our candidates after they pledga
themselves to stand upon the platform
IL IS just so In this senatorial matter. Tha
primary Is the time to instruct the cam
didates. do not mean to suggest even
that II the instruction was given at the
October election ii would not be Regarded
by the gentlemen who had been nominateds
but 1t would be troublesome in the Jun9
primary and the regular election ALSO
The June primary is the proper time. az
l have said, and If the people are 10
express their choice for senator al ali.
| think 1t should be done then"
Washington, April 4-Secretary Smith
and Representative Crisp are expected to
return to Washington tomorrow, and
nothing further will probably be heard OF
the collapse of their joint debate The
members Of the Georgia delegation am
agree that 1t is better for all concerned
that the programme arranged was not car-
ried out, for they contend that the inter-
ests Of the party could not have been ma
terlally benefited by a continuance of the
discussion between Secretary Smith and
NEW YORK's KICK ON RATES.