The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-02-12
PRIMARY PLAN
THE One SELECTED
For Election Of Delegates to COnStitu-
tiOnal Convention.
MEETING OF COMMITTEE
Spirited Debate Over the Cues
tiOn.
THACH WANTED BEAT MEETINGS
Gray Thought People Gould be Trusted
to Select Their Representatives
Committeeman Sign Petition
Abolish Commissioners.


The democratic party in Jefferson county
will select its six nominees for delegates to
the constitutional convention by a primary
election on March Is, and not by conven-
ton. So the county executive committee
decided at yesterdays meeting.
There was an exciting little fight over
this question, R. H. Thach leading the side
which wanted the delegates nominated by
a convention, and Henry B. Gray opposing
him, favoring a primary The issue was
gotten in shape as follows Mr. Thach Of
fered his convention resolution, Mr.. Gray
offered as an amendment his primary plan;
| Walter Moore offered a substitute that ac-
| ton be postponed for a week in order that
| in the meantime the committeeman could
| better find out the wishes of the people on
| this matter. This substitute was tabled.
| Cowart, after hot speech, then moved TO
| table Gray's amendment, and on this mo-
ton the vote was taken. 1t was as follows:
Ayes-Smith, Killough, Robbins, Garrett
son, Moore, Thach, Cowart, Tate, Culver
| house, Copeland, Harrington.
| Nays-Mims, Huffman Waldrop, Hit,
G. C. JONES' Shores, Paschal, Mayfield, Lit
| tie, Kelly, Gray, Atkinson.
The motion to table was lost and Gray's
| amendment was carried Immediately there
after.
Meeting Called to Order
r. H. Thach called the meeting to order
and read a telegram from Chairman Robert
]. Lowe in Huntsville, saying that he was
unable to be present account of the
illness of his brother. w. K. Terry, al
though not a member of the committee,
was called to preside. Mr.. Thach was made
secretary in the absence of Nathan L. Mil
Ter.
T. Y. Huffman was the only proxy pres
emit
Judge Garrettson read the call for which
the meeting was to be held In effect, it
was to determine whether convention or
primaries should be held in jefferson coun-
ty to select the six democratic nominees.
This call was printed in The Age-Herald
yesterday morning.
r. H. Thach introduced the following
resolution:
''Be it resolved, That beat meetings be
held to elect delegates to county conven-
ton, which is to nominate delegates to
the constitutional convention for Jeffer-
son county, and to elect delegates to the
state convention, which dominates dele
gates from the senatorial districts and
the delegates at large on March IS, 1899,
and said county convention to be held
on March %, 1885,"
Preferable in This Instance
Mr. Thach in arguing for his resolution
said that as a rule, he favored primaries
to select the democratic nominees for all
Offices but in this instance he thought the
convention plan preferable. He said that
the men who should go as delegates from
jefferson, would not be willing to get out
and make such a canvass as would be nee
essary to insure their election. The ex-
pense of primaries, he argued would be
very heavy. All things considered, he
thought the convention plan much more
practicable.
Mr. Gray then offered the following
amendment:
BE it resolved that March IS, pri-
maries be held in Jefferson county to
elect six delegates to the constitutional
convention from this county, and also
to elect their representatives to the
county convention, which convention
shall select Jefferson county's delegates
to the state convention called to name
the delegates from the state at large
and from the senatorial districts.
People Can be Trusted
1.-THE people of this great county," said
Mr. Gray, "can always be trusted, think,
to select their own representatives. Where
as If we have convention, there is no
telling whether the delegates they select
will be the real Representatives of the
people.
This convention is the most important
matter that has been before the people
of Alabama for twenty-five years, and
think they should say who their delegates
shall be-"
Prof. Waldrop heartily seconded Mr.
Gray's resolution and remarks. He said
that the democratic party was pledged to
have primaries whenever possible.
II want to say, and say it openly" con-
tinued Mr.. Waldrop, that the last con-
vention the democrats held in this county
was very unsatisfactory to the great ma |
jorlty of the party"
T. Y. Huffman also spoke, seconding Mr.. |
Gray's resolution.
I'VE should get the party machinery as |
near to the people as possible" said Walter
Kelly. Then if they elect poor men the |
people themselves to blame, and not a |
swapping and trafficking convention"
said 1t Was Impracticable
81 am not particularly welded TO my
beat meeting PLAN" said Mr.. Thach, "only |
that the primary plan seems to mo to be |
impracticable. There would probably be
from fifty to hundred candidates rum
ming who would cause endless confusion. /
think that there are in every beat men
who can he trusted to represent their peo-
pie. and select those delegates to the con-
stituii;nal convention who are really the
most capable men and who really deserve
the Office
Walter Moore offered as a substitute that
committee of five be appointed to con-
slider plan and report back to the COM
mittee at meeting to be held next week.
Mr., Gray moved to table Moore's substi-
tute, which was done.
MIR. Smith said that he wanted 10 remark