The age-herald., 1902-03-27
TALK OF PRIMARY
 WORRIES OFFICIALS All Have Indifferent Air but 0p-
 pose Plan at Heart. COMMITTEE IS AGAINST 1T Poll of ThIrty-three Members Shows Only Five for Primary, With Many
 Non-committaI-Mr. Bibb
 Says It Would Be Fair.
COMMITTEE IS AGAINST IT

Montgomery, March 26. = (speciaI) )- Politicians at the capital have discussed little else than the state primary question for the past few days and the first ques- tion propounded by an fin" to a visitor is usually, How do you stand on the question of a state primary"
 With officials the proposition meets with little favor. though there are none so bold as to declare opposition to it. They all assume the role of perfect indifference, but the fact remains as significant that none have made open declarations in fa- vor of the proposition.
 Interest to a discussion of the question of state primary has been added to by recent editorials from the Montgomery Advertiser and Mobile Register joining in the fight with the Age-Herald to the next state officials nominated in fair white primary. Politicians at the capital seem to doubt the sincerity of these edi- torials, and some have openly declared that the utterances were inspired by local conditions. In Montgomery County, for instance, officials have for several years D6en ndTQeu Dy cOnNeDllOIS. DdSSd upOh arbitrary beat representation. There are twenty-one beats, or voting precincts in the county, six of them in the city four teen in the country and one for Highland Park. All of these beats except High land Park, have been given thirteen dele gates in a county convention, and thus fourteen county beats with a white vot- ing population of possibly one thousand, will have more than twice the strength In convention as the six city beats, rep resenting a white voting population of more than three thousand. Attempt after attempt has been made to change the basis of representation. but the commit teemen from the country beats have steadfastly refused to surrender their power, and candidates from the country precincts continue to fill the offices.
 Had Reserve Force.
 Heretofore, if the city beats attempted revolt in the way of an independent tick ct, they could not win, for the county beats had a reserve of "nigger" votes, which they used at their own pleas ure.
 With the negro vote eliminated, how ever this condition may change. The final and manifestly unfair power of the coun- ty beats Is removed, and an independent ticket, backed by a solid city vote, could easily win.
 Conditions in Mobile County are not wholly different from conditions in Mont eomery County, and this is the reason politicians assign for the front on the primary issue by the Advertiser and Reg jster.
 Governor Jelks has declined to commit himself cn the proposition. He asserts that he has no desire to become dic- tator for his party, and any acton by the state committee w;n receive his sup rort and approval. He believes that the people will endorse his short administra- tion by giving enc full term, and he really appears to have little concern as to any future action by the committee.
 Committee Against Primary.
 No well-informed politician Is here found who believes tkat the state com rnittee can be induced to yield to the de mands for a state primary. It is said that the committee has been polled on this subiect. and that out of B members. only 5 appear to favor primary. Some are non-committal, but not a sufficient num- her to bring majority to the primary forces. It is barely possible, however, that the committee will be called to meet before June and by that time some changes may be wrought in the commit tee.
 Among the visitors to the capital during inc week have been found several fav- orable to the primary plan, while there are found some to oprcse.
 Hon. w. c. Pibb, who formerly repre- sented this county in the lower house Of the Legislature, and vho Is now promi- nent candidate for secretary of state, takes a position for a state primary. When asked fer his views today by representa- tive of the Age-Herald, MT. Bibb said:
 Bibb Favors Primary.
 q am reluctant to give out an inter view of any kind Being a candidate for 2 state office I cannot take sides in the issue which has been raised I speak only from conlpulsicn, and that is that the people should rule. 1 think the fair est way of naming a candidate is for the people to do 1t in the primaries. I am willing to submit to anything that the State Executive Committee will do, but I think we will come nearer reaching the sentiment of the people by g. primary election Nobody can object to 1t, and every candidate who Is in the field should be willing to abide by 1t. The prim ary reaches the heart of the people. The convention is something that Is manipu- lated by few men. I am willing to risk my chances for nomination to the office of secretary of state on the primary plan I believe in fairness, right and Justice and if the white people of Ala bama are to have a say so in the nomi- nation of officers. I do not know of any fairer plan. If the party says that we are not to have primaries will abide by their diction. If we are to have primaries l will be more pleased than any other way"
 Selma Discusses Plan.
 Selma, March 26.-(Special)-T ques- ton of a general state primary is being considerably discussed in Selma but the Democrats here are rather after the order of the people from Missouri, as the yer nacular has it, and they say the state committee will have to show them faith to any general primary. With eight of- fees to be filled and an average of three candidates to an office, the appointment of twenty-four inspectors in every pre- cinct of the state cannot be accomplish ed and would prove too cumbersome any way So 1t is believed here that a gen. eral state primary would be but an in- vitation to fraud.