The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-09-06

III provided LOT pOddh collpoSeu vi q
representative of each candidate for the
Senate to have full charge of the primary,
and for the oll-holders to be selected in
like manner.
The difference between the two plans
as originally drawn was that the first
did not require that the poll holders
should favor different candidates. AS
adopted it requires that the two appoint
cd shall be of different views when pos
sib.e'
Mr. Watts, Col. Bernard and others
urged the first plan on the ground that
it put the entire matter in the hands OF
the county committees. which had been
selected Mr.. Watts pointed out that his
plan was simple and fair, and would be
under the management of county commit
tees which enjoyed the confidence of the
party and had recently conducted sue
cessful campaign and who were elected
by the Democratic voters of the counties
for the performance of just such duties
as this. He went on to say that in all
primaries, no matter how many candi-
dates were running, these same members
of the county committee presided at all
precinct primaries. If they are compe-
tent to do this-and their fairness can be
trusted to do this-can they not be
trusted to conduct a fair senatorial prim-
airy. To take this out of their hands
would be ia slap in their face and would
give some color to the Republican and
Populst charges of unfairness on the
part of the Democratic organization in
past elections in the State. These COM
mittees were elected by the Democratic
vo4o of ba he ba
candidates for the Senate announced
themselves and with reference to their
fitness for the positions they hold. In
almost every case they are the best
Democrats in their precincts.
Major London explained his plan in de-
TAIL stating that the underlying princi-
PIE running through it, was that each
Senatorial candidate should have repre-
sentatiCn at the polling place when the
votes were cast. ON the county board,
which would insure the returns from the
precincts, and en- the State board, which
would declare the result. Every Sena-
tCrial candidate being thus represented
would insure fair election and a count,
which would be above suspicion.
lhe adoption of Mai London's resolu-
tions was seconded by Mr.. II. A. Foushee,
of Durham, Senator elect from the 18th
Senatorial district. He argued that one
OF the best features of this plan was
section s, which provided that the names
of all the Senatorial candidates should be
printed on one ticket. He had conducted
two county primaries and each time
there had been great complaint and one
time almost rupture in the party be-
cause tickets of different candidates had
been mislaid or lost and it was charged
by friends of defeated candidates that
the same had been purposely taken by
friends of the other candidate.
BY printing the names of candidates on
| one ticket expense would be saved and
each voter, when he went to the polls
would have the names of each candidate
before him to select from, thus max
| ing it impossible fer any candidate to
think that MS name has not been duly
considered or for any one to change the
| tickets of any candidate had been de-
| stroyed. He further contended that each
Senatorial candidate was. as a matter OF
right entitled to Representations and to
| have a say so as to the men WHO should
have the supervision of the holding of the
primary, that unless each candidate had
representatives there would always be a
possibility of suspicion OF unfairness.
| UB-COMMITTEE ON PRIMARY.
| Capt. S. A. Ashe offered a resolution
which was adopted to appoint sub-com-
mittee composed of friends of the sew
eral candidates to whom duplicate re-
turns shall be sent by the county chair
man to meet in Raleigh ON the Goth of
| IN bo II
clare the result. This committee is COM
posed of Messrs. James S. Manning, G. M.
Busbee, H. A. London, E. l.. Travis, A. d.
| Watts, Jos. H. Pou and B. S. Register.
THE WATTS PLAN.
The plan adopted by the committee,
offered by Mr. A. ID. Watts, of States
| Vile, Is as follows:
| Whereas, the Democratic party, in it's
| State convention held at Raleigh on May
/ 18th, 1900, adopted the following as q
1 part of it's platform and resolutions, to-
! wit: -
eve hereby instruct the State Execu-
| tive committee to make provision for the
| holding of primary on the first Tues
| day of next November for the selection
| of a United States Senator by the Demo-
| cratic voters of the State, at which every
| elector who has voted a Democrats
| ticket in the State election shall be en-
! titled to cast one vote for one man for
| United States Senator, and the candidate
| who receives the majority of the votes
| so cast in the whole State shall receive
| the support of the Democratic members
! of the Legislature; and if no candidate
| shall receive a majority then the COM
mittee shall hold a second primary at
| which only the two highest candidates
| shall be balloted for, and the one receiv-
| ing the majority of the votes cast shall
| receive the support of the Democratic
| members of the Legislature.
Provided that if any third candidate
| shall receive at the first primary, so held,
| within $500 votes of the second highest
| candidate, then, in that event, the three
! candidates shall be ballcted for at the
| second primary, and the one of the three
receiving the highest number of votes
| shall receive the support of the Demo-
cratic members of the Legislature for
| United States Senator"
| Now, therefore, in accordance with the
foregoing resolution, the Democratic
| State Executive committee hereby makes
| the following provisions for holding said