The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-07-12
Advocates of Convention Are
Bitterly Disappointed and Say
Il Sounds Death KneII of the
Democratic Party.
Plan Provides That Each Can
didate Must Get Majority of
All the Votes Cast or Another
Election Held.
Lively Debate Between Mr.
Lowe of Jefferson and Mr.
Hall of BIount Over Selection
of Committeeman.
BY FRANK HARVEY MILLER.

BY FhANk f1AhbEr mIEGEhs
Montgomery July u.-(Special.)-Th
state Democratic executive committee
unanimously adopted today plan for
holding a state primary election to NOM
mate the various state officials to be
elected in November. There was much
discussion over the various details of the
plan, but as finally adopted it provides
for an election on Monday, August 25.
At this election, besides the various
state officials, four members of the state
executive committee from each Congress
sional district will be voted for. The
plan provides that each candidate must
bet a majority Of all the votes cast, and
if he fails to do so on the first election,
it provides for a second. and even a third
primary If necessary.
All the machinery of an election Is pro-
vided for and candidates must file with
the chairman of the state executive COM
mittee on or before August written no.
tice of their intention to be such.
All white men can vote in the primary
who are entitled to vote for members of
the Legislature, provided they believe in
the principles of the Democratic party
and pledge themselves to support the
nominees at the ensuing election, or who
have voted for or supported the nominees
In each of the last general elections for
Congressman, or state and county Of
ficers An offer to vote In the primary
shall be construed as a pledge to support
the nominees.
County committees are given authority
~ coll aitbar nriro a rios or- conventions to
select county candidates.
Lively Debate Takes Place.
A lively debate took place between Mr.
Lowe of Jefferson and Mr.. Hall of
Blount over the proposal under the draft
CT the plan as first submitted to elect
four members of the state committee
frcm each Congressional district, but re-
quiring that two should come from the
came county. Mr.. Lowe contended that
in the Ninth district Jefferson county,
with Its 10000 population out of a total
population of 10000 in the district. which
has three other counties, would have
but one-fourth of the representation
that the remaining 10000 people would
have. This provision In the plan was
changed, and now all four of the mem
bers may come from the same county IL
The voters wish 1t.
Those Democrats who are opposed TO
the pres ent administration are not alto
gether pleased with the plan. and the
talk now is OF sharp fight inside the
party.
Some opponents of the primary plan
ere bitterly disappointed at the action of
the committee and say that 1t sounds the
ceath knell of the rerty-that there Will
be no more ccnventie ms and that party
organize ton Will soon become thing
of the past.
The committee which was to meet at 10
o'clock was not called to order by Chair
man Lowe until / o'clock as the sub
committee which was preparing the pri-
mary plan was not ready to report until
this hour This subcommittee which
had been at work all the morning arrang-
ing the details for the primary, announc-
ed at this hour, through its chairman,
A. M. Tunstall. that it had completed
its work. The committee was then called
to order and the roll call showed
twenty-seven members present.
Secretary Pugh read the report of the
subcommittee which in substance was
as follows:
Section one provided that State DEM
ocratic primary should be held on August
Is for the purpose of electing candidates
for the offices of governor, lieutenant
governor, State treasurer, auditor, attor-
ney general superintendent of education,
commissioner of agriculture and indus
tries and four members of the Democratic
State executive committee from each con-
gressional district.
Section two provided for three inspect
ors at each polling place with the right
of each candidate to appoint a represen-
tative who should see the ballots counted.
Section three provided for the polls to
be open from o'clock to 5 o'clock and
in cities of over 5000 until O'Clock.
Section four provided for counting the
vote and required four certificates of the
result one to be posted, one furnished
the chairman of the county executive
committee. one to be kept by the in
spectors with the ballots and one furnish
ed the beatman or committeeman of the
precinct.
Section provided that on the Thurs
day following the election the county ex-
ecutive committee should convene and
canvass the results and forward one copy
to the chairman of the state Democratic
executive committee and one copy to the
secretary.
Ascertainlng Result.
Section provided that the state COM
mittee should meet at Montgomery on
August % to ascertain the result. The
candidates receiving a majority of all
the votes should be declared the NOM
fnees, but II no one received a majority
the two highest should be voted for in a
second primary. If there is a tie vote for
second place the three should run again.
and If no one receives a majority In this
second primary there shall be a third
one. September / was fixed as the date
for the second primary and September
15 for the third.
Section z required the chairman OF the
state committee to furnish the county
committees with official ballots.
Secfiop renufred that fha ballot choY1d
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