The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-06-03
THE SPLIT IN MISSISSIPPI.
DEMOCRATS 70 SEND TwO DELE0A'
TONS TO KANSAS CITY.

Both Will BE for Bryan and the Dispute u
Over the Method Of Their Eection-one
Faction Wants . State Convention ths
Other Pri,naries-spread Of Government
BY Primary In the Southern states'
NEW ORLEANS. June - Mississippi will prob
ably be represented by two sets OF Delegates
when the Democratic National Convention
meets at Kansas City on july 4. The split Is an
unusual one. Both delegations will go 10
the Convention pledged TO Bryan and the quar-
rel is entirely over the method OF electing the
delegates, The contest calls attention 10
the fact that the Democracy OF Mississippi
has already practically adopted several OF
the planks of the Populist platform, especially
the referendum and the submission OF all dues-
tons and Of all nominations TO the popular
vote in party primaries.
The issue upon which the Democracy OF
Mississippi has split--and almost eVeniy-is
whether delce ates TO the National ConVeh-
ton shall be elected by a State convention OF
district conventions called for that purpose.
or directly by the people. at a primary In
which all white voters may participate.
The primary has become the political ma
chine In Mississippi and administers the po-
litical affairs Of the State. II dominates can
didates and controls the party organization
In all matters. The question of the governor
ship In the last campaign WAS submitted 10
the popular vote and the United States senators
we're similarly chosen. Tho various candi-
dates for the Senatorship went before the peo-
pie in every county and gave their views on
all national questions. Every voter enjoyed
the right to ask Gov. McIiaurin, Gov.
Lowery or any other Of the Senatorial can
didates to answer any question he mig hit pro-
pound, and many Of the questions were OF a
most searching and personal character, In
deed. Gov. McLaurin was compelled to ex-
plain in detail his entire administration OF
the Goyernorship, and lay before the people
the inside and private history Of his term.
II should be stated in regard 10 these pri-
maries that they nave become the real cleo
lions in Mississippi. and that the elections
proper are mere forms of little moment or
importance. The campaign is made in the
primaries and the result there determines the
subsequent election. The Mississippi De-
mocracy so absolutely controls the politics OF
the State that a Democratic nomination means
an election. There Is practically no Repub-
Hcan party in the State. and the several Republic
can factions together muster barely enough
voters TO I'LL the Federal Offices. The Pop
ulists, who eight years ago showed some
strength. have disappeared before the refer
endum, primary and other popular methods
adopted by the State Democracy. Every
Official In Mississippi. State or local. save two
or three, Is a Democrat.
The importance OF the primary Is shown In
the fact that the vote cast at it Is much larger
than that at the State election which follows,
sometimes twice as large. Many of the voters
turn out in the primary but do not think it
worth while to go to the polls on election day.
They have nominated the Democratic candi-
dates, and they know that even If only a frac-
ton OF the Democratic votes Is polled their
candidates will be elected.
Thus it Is that the primary has steadily grown
stronger in Mississippi. until now every candi-
date Is nominated and everything determined
bv II. In the last State and Senatorial cam
paign the primary system was thoroughly tested
and proved so satisfactory that the Democratic
convention which carried out the will Of the
people as expressed at the primaries and off,
cially nominated the candidates therein by
popular vote adopted resolutions declaring in
favor Of the primary system. and announcing
that In future the Democracy would make all
nominations In this way-by the people, not by
convention. This State primary, by the by.
proved somewhat OF a surprise politically and
showed that the will OF the people, as expressed
directly by them al the ballot box, IS not always
the same as that expressed by the delegates
sent by them to a convention.
The late election In Mississippi, therefore, was
a plain and straightforward declaration IN
favor OF primaries and the submission Of all
nominations and all measures 10 the popular
vote. IL practically does away with conven-
tions. II may be- mentioned that the Mississippi
primary plan has roved as popular in the other
Southern states as the suffrage system withwhich
the negro vote. II has been adopted through
out north louisiana; nominations for Congress
and large offices are now made by primaries In
half that State, and the choice OF United States
Senators Is similarly pointed out by the popular
vote. Both the new Senators from Louisiana
are strong advocates OF the popular election OF
all members of the upper house OF Congress,
and the next Senators will be chosen In that
way. whether Congress acts or not.
Such was the condition Of affairs when the
Mississippi to send It's quota OF delegates to the
Kansas City Convention. The State Executive
Committee met, announced its devotion 10 the
ries and declared that the delegates as well as
the Presidential electors should be chosen. not by
a convention as formerly. but directly by the
district primaries for this purpose,
An Democrats who desired TO become can
dldates before he people could DO SO BY fling
tee. 1t was provided that the ticket should
consist only OF the names OF the candidates for
delegates-at-larRe, for district delegates and
for electors, and the name Of Bryan as candidate
for President, with q blank. so thnt IL the voter
had any other Presidential candidate he could
fill 1t In. The primary would, Therefore. show
how strong Bryan IL with the Democratic
voters Of Mississippi. and whether there is any
opposition 10 him In the State; and the delegates
chosen would represent beyond a question
the, people of Mississippi. being directly chosen
and commissioned by them.
The call was so closely In line with previous
utterances OF the Mississippi Democracy, that
the State Executive Committee was surprised
at the excitement II aroused. The proposed
primary WAS objected to on the ground that IL
was unusual, and that II was never intended 10
choose delegates to conventions In this way, but
only TO nominate candidates for Office. And
the somewhat serious objection was raised
that this mode of procedure would render il
impossible for the Democracy Of Mississippi
TO adopt any platform, or to lay II properly
before the voters. The delegates would 90 to
the Kansas City Convention wholly uninstructed,
save as to President. and ignorant Of whether
their constituents wanted them 10 vote for or
against an Income tax plank In the National
platform or for or against expansion.
1t has been impossible 10 reconcile these
differences Of opinion and the split in the ranks OF
electina delegates Is a broad one between those
who wish to carry to the extreme limit the
referendum and submission Of all questions TO
the people. and those who believe that the
convention cannot yet be entirely done away
with, and that some plan will have TO be adopted
whereby a platform OF principles can be pro-
claimed, 1t II probable that the primary
men may attempt to meet this objection by
submitting TO the popular will not only the
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