The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-03-16
RETURN OF THE P0PULISTS.
WILL BE DISCUSSED BY THE DEMO-
CRATIC COMMITTEE.


Committee to Meet in Atlanta To-day
to Arrange for the state ConVen-
ton and Decide other Party Mat
ters-Question of White Primaries.
Many POpuIists Will Come Back
But Others want TO Keep Up Their
Party Organization.
Atlanta March 15.-On the eve of the
assembling of the STATE Democratic Ex-
ecutive Committee there is much discus
sion as to the outcome of the session.
Some of the members are already here
and the rest will be in on the morning
trains.
one tquestion that may bring on much
discussion is that of the admission OF
those Populists back into the ranks that
want to come. II IS said that a resolu-
ton will be introduced admitting them.
Boykin Wright of the Tenth says there
seems to be general sentiment over the
state that the Populists want to re-enter
the Democratic ranks.
If the expressions of the Atlanta Popu-
lists may be regarded as indicative of the
wishes of the Populists as whole in the
state, it would seem that their request Is
misunderstood. The Popuhsts here want
10 maintain their party integrity so far
as national and state elections are con-
cerned but are willing TO go into white
primary in every county in the state for
nomination of county officers.
Lincoln County Idea Not New.
The Lincoln county idea just adopted is
not new bV any means
The Democrats of Putnam county. the
home of Judge Turner chairman
of the Prison Commission. per-
mitted the Populists of that coun-
ty 10 vote for the nomination
of county officers in 1896 even though they
were not required TO pledge themselves to
support either the state or national nomi
nees. 1t is also said that this plan has
been in vogue in other counties and it
certainly has in this county, when Popu,
lists and Republicans were both allowed
to vote in the white primary without one
word of protest
The evidences are very strong though,
that there are numbers of Populists who
contemplate a return to the Democratic
fold, but is not so widespread as some of
the state committeeman are prone to
believe. Some prominent Democrats in the
state want an iron bound rule placed on
the Populists who wish to return and
want them 10 be required to remain in
the Democratic party, and support its
principles Loyalty, but there are members
of the committee who believe that a lib
eral policy should be used and they should
be allowed to come back with no strings
tied to them but taken on faith.
Gov. Gamblers Views.
Regarding this subject Gov. Gambler
says he never has felt that he could die
tate the policy of the party, but he
thought that If there were any Populists
who wanted to re-enter the ranks of the
Democratic party, they should be allow
ed to come in with the understanding that
they were Democrats, and that they
would remain within the party for all
time and support its principles and can
didates.
More puzzling to the committees, how
ever. is the manner in which the Circuit
Court judges and solicitors are to be nom-
mated. 1t has been suggested that these
officers would be voted upon in the regular
primary held for the nomination of all
other officers and then circuit conVen-
lions of the delegates could be held and
nominate the judges and solicitors for
each respective circuit. This plan may
prevail, although the plan to have them
nominated as the delegates to national
convention are chosen, may be used. The
outlook now points to an early primary
I'm May
For Prison Commissioners
There is another prospective candidate
from South Georgia for prison commits
sioner to succeed Hon. Tom Eason. Hon
John d. Mcleod of Telfair is the man
mentioned. He is in the city and will re-
main over to the meeting of the State
Democratic Executive Committee to-mor-
row. Col. Mcleod has been solicited to
make the race for prison commissioner
and is seriously considering doing so. He
was formerly sergeant alarms of the
Georgia Senate and has been often honor
ed politically and otherwise by his fellow
citizens.