The leader., 1900-05-30
Way Out of tho Primary
Puzzle,

Puzzle.
GREENWOOD, Miss, May 10, 1900.
To the Democracy of Mississippi:
1t is manifest that the State Demo
cratic executive committee has deter
mined to stand by the unwarranted, I'M
authorized and unfortunate order
adopted by it at its last meeting in the
city of jackson. Notwithstanding the
multitudinous protests which have
gone up from the people the almost
universal condemnation at the hands
OF the State press, and the widespread
dissatisfaction which has permeated
the Democracy of the entire State, the
committee remains obdurate. | have
searched the annals of the political
history of the State for parallel or
precedent for this extraordinary pro-
ceeding But | find nothing to APP
proach it in its perversity, and con
temptuous disr egard for the wishes of
the people. Absolutely it evinces a
spirit less regardful of the popular will
than that which inspired the million
aire Vanderbilt, when he said 1.-The
people be damned" And the wicked
est feature about the whole matter is,
the hypocritical effort on the part of
the committee, to make it appear that
it is all done for the good of the most
proposition as fraudulent as it is
transparent. Now, in order to bring
about settlement of this matter to
make it possible for the Democrats of
the state to vote intelligently and
effectively on the question of select
ing delegates and electors, and also
avoiding the possibility of split in
the party ranks, | suggest, that the
county executive committees Tor, if
the county executive committees
belong to the Ubiquitous trust of which
the present state executive committee
is the head, should refuse to act that
the people of the counties assemble
in mass meetings and appoint dele
gates to a convention to be held in the
city of Jackson on the 9Th day of June,
1900, for the purpose of nominating a
ticket for presidential electors, and
delegates to the Kansas City conven-
ton; also for members of new State
executive committee, all of whom shall
be voted for at the general State pri-
mary of June 81, 1900. 1t will also be
well for this convention to adopt a
platform which shall be instructions
to the delegates to the national con-
vention, should the delegates nomi,
mated by this convention be chosen at
the general primary elections of June
Dist. 1t would be exceedingly i'm
prudent and unwise, to send delegates
to the national convention who will be
called upon to deal with the issues,
without some expressions from the
people upon such issues to guide them.
This method, submit, is fair, just and
essentially Democratic. 1t will insure
the election of men to these places of
honor, who will not barter the party s
interest, speculate in its prospects, or
dishonor its splendid record. 1t will
also, I hope, defeat the ends and thwart
the schemes of that close corporation
which the State executive committee
has shown itself to be. | beseech
every honest Democrat, in the spirit
of party unity, who has one spark of
self-respect left, who is not the plant
tool of some INSCRIPTIONS politician,
who is unwilling to wear collar and
to be led about as political poodle
who still believes in that old, fogy
doctrine, that the people are capable
of self government 1 urge upon you,
to rise to the full measure of manhood,
assert your rights of the reins of party
government, and, if necessary, scourge
the usurper from the temple of De-
mocracy. Prompt and patriotic action
should be taken. The conditions make
it imperative. Not in a spirit of rivalry,
but moved by a profound sense of
public duty and party fealty, | beg you
to proceed to the task And may God
send you speed.
JAS. X. VARDAMAN.