The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1900-09-13
THAT SENATORIAL PRIMARY


In another column will be found
a letter from Mr. Clark, Of States
VILE, to the Charlotte Observer, In
which he gives full history OF the
primary plan. Mr.. Clark
WAS delegate TO the last Demo.
cratic State Convention, and was q
mem Der OF the committee on Plat
form and RESOLUTIONS. Therefore,
he should know the facts. II will
be noticed that the article written
by Mr.. Clark was published Aug
Sth, in the Charlotte Observer. It
has now been over month since |
this article was published, so II II
Is not correct there has boon plenty |
Of time for some one to challenge |
Its truth. Up TO date no one has
done so. Let everyone read this
article OF MIR Clark's carefully. No
tice that be- states specifically that
when the resolutions authorizing
the plan was first offered TO the
Committee and the Convention,
that 10 provided that all who voted
for Bryan for President in the No
vember election should be entitled
to vote in the Senatorial primary.
This proposition, he states, was
vigorously opposed by the gold
Democrats and that they succeed
cd In defeating it. He states that
these gold Democrats stated to the
Convention that they intended to
vote with the Democrats In the Au-
gust election, but that they would
not vote for Bryan, and that thoy
threatened that II they were to be
. denied the right to vote In the Sen
atorial primary In November simp-
ly because they were going to vote
for Mckinley for President, that
then they might not help the Dem
ocratic machine but through the
amendment in the August election.
1t will be seen that this argument
prevailed with the Committee and
that the resolutions were amended
30 "a to provide that those who vo-
ted In the August election for the
amendment and for any part OF the
Democratic ticket, whether they
were white or DIacK, Dou,vvia.o -.
Republicans, gold men or silver
men, should have the right to vote
in tho Democratic Senatorial pri
mary In November. 1t will be no
ticed that Mr.. Clark says that Ger
tain members Of the Convention
tried to have the resolutions to read
that those who voted for the
amendment and the entire Demo.
cratic ticket should vote for Sena
tor; but he boasts that the gold
bugs in the Convention were strong
enough TO strike out the words cen
tire so that a man who voted only
part Of the ticket in August is emit.
tied to vote for Senator.
Last week the Democratic State
Committee met In Raleigh to ar.
range the details for this primary
and that body also hampers with
the wording Of the resolutions and
leaves them with rather doubtful
meaning, though 1t is still clear
that they intend for every one
whether he Is Democrat or not
who voted with them in the Au.
gust election to vote in the Senate
rial primary. The wording as adop.
ted by the Committee meeting last
week Is as follows:
RESOLVED /, That the term "Dem-
ocratic voters" in the Democratic
platform, be construed to include
all white electors and Croatan cleo
tors, who vote on the said election
day for the Democratic Presidential
and Congressional tickets, and that
they be entitled to vote In the Dem
ocratic primary as we'll as those
who voted with us in August, but
who will vote for Mckinley at the
time said primary is held.
10 will be seen from the above
that every Republican who voted
for the amendment or for any part
OF the Democratic ticket, that every
Cleveland Democrat, and that ev-
cry negro, and that every redshirt
hoodlum and bar room thug, who
votes with the Simmons machine,
In whole or in part, no matter II at
the November election they vote
for Mckinley for President, will
have an equa. voice with all Of
those who vote for Bryan in deter
mining who shall be the Senator
from North Carolina. The Demo
cratic red shirt organs claim that
many thousands of negroes voted
for the amendment, they claim that
many thousands Of white Republi
cans voted for the amendment. Now
these many thousands of white Re
publicans and negroes may easily
be the balance Of power in any con-
test over the Senatorship that is
anything close. Did Mr.. Simmons
feel that il VAS necessary for him
to have the support OF these ele-
meDts outside Of the supporters Of
Bryan to make 1t possible for him
TO win the Senatorship, and Ia this
why he had this peculiar provision
put inio the primary plan? And II
Mr.. simmons should win out by
such methods. would that not be
negro domination, and according
TO redshirt logic Is not q Senator