The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1902-04-14
Discuss the Primary Plan,

|
section 6, that the Committee is author.
lied to select and determine the prina
! 1acle rights OF delegates claiming seats In
the State Convention" In these resoIu-
tons not one word or line can be found
as to any provision for holding ST.
primary, and it certainly clearly annears
that 1t was expected that the conventions
would continue to be held. Let us nev+.
! inquire what has been the uniform rulo
| since that time. The State Executive
| Committee in 1894 called convention
without dissenting vote, which was
| held, and no voice raised in opposition to
| such action.
| The same thing was done in 1896 tho
| only change being as to the qualification
| of voters the bars being let down az
| that time. In 1898 and 1900, the same
thing happened, and during all these
years not one voice was raised in the
| state convention in favor of a general
state primary. What to my mind is stil1
more significant is the fact that when
| a state convention was ordered to noni
nate delegates from the state at large.
| and to adopt a platform upon which to
make the fight for a new constitution
and when all sorts of reforms in eleo-
! ton methods was promised, not one WORD
was uttered looking to the calling of a
| general state primary, but pledges We're
| made as to a primary election law. Was
| there any meaning to this silence upon
| this primary question? l dare say there
was one being that those who really had
| the good of the state at heart, would
| not endorse it until a proper and COM
pulsory primary election law could be
| adopted. Does any advocate of a pri-
| mary election believe for a moment that
| a general primary could have been or
| dered under the conditions existing prior
| to the adoption of the new constitutions
| If not so believing. how can they now
conclude that the power to do so, was
| actually conferred as far back as 1899
| without, as l now remember, a dissent
| ing vote in the convention? The state
| executive committee should not arrogate
| to Itself any power which has not been
| clearly conferred upon it, and nothing
| could do more to weaken the party than
| such course Another matter which
! strikes home to my mind, the conven-
| ton when assembled being composed
| overwhelmingly of Democrats, fixed pop
| ulation the basis of representation to
| the Legislature thus again endorsing the
| time-honored custom of the Democratic
| party. The new constitution lays the
| foundation for permanent reform of all
| the evils which have grown out of the
| exercise of the elective franchise by a
large class of ignorant and vicious voters,
this class has been eliminated, and when
proper and compulsory primary cleo
ton law can be enacted, we may VEN
ture upon a change of present method of
selecting our nominees to do so earlier
would be fraught with great danger to
the best welfare of the state, and do
more to make the new constitution I'M
popular than all the efforts of its oppo-
nents combined have succeeded in doine
to this good hour
Discussing the question from the third
point of view, l make the following sug-
gestions: white primary in which all
white men can participate, irrespective
OF present, past or future affiliations, is
so absurd and ridiculous that [ am ut
terly astounded and appalled, at the
thought that any Democrat can be found
who would tolerate it for a moment. To
do this would destroy all party organi-
| cation, and indeed the party itself To
order a primary confined to white Dem
ocrats alone, would carry with it the
great difficulty of defining who are DEM
ocrats. If the committee should say
that no one should vote who had ever
bolted and voted against Democratic
nominees, would result in barring out
all former Populists and gold men who
voted for Palmer and Buckner large
numbers Of whom, for several elections
past have voted for and stood loyalty
by the Democratic party, this could not
even be thought of, much less done. On
the other hand, If the committee say
that only those shall vote who have sup
ported the platforms and nominees of
the party for the past two years, then
comes the question to what shall be
QOne Will luOSe DSIIlOCIatS WIN nave
fought the constitutional convention
from beginning to end
Surely one can be found who would
deny to them the right to vote in a DEM
ocratic primary, provided of course, they
were Democrats. This class of Demo-
Gratis still denounce the new constitu-
ton, and openly and boldly proclaim
their purpose to destroy it in nearly every
sense should they attain to power. On
the other hand, if the committee order
State primary, and adhere to its for
mer rule that all may vote who will
pledge themselves hereafter to support
the principles and nominees of the party,
then a vast horde of those who have
never been Dem ocrats, and who have no
intention of becoming so in future, save
for this one election, will flock to the
standard of the enemies of the new con-
stitution, and result in confusion and
Decentralization. These are questions of
grave Importance which should be con-
sidered well, seriously and conscientious
ly, and in spirit of fairness Where is
the warrant for any paper saying,
has often been said recently, in a spirit
of intolerance, that any man who opposes
at this time, State primary has sud
denly become a corrupt politician
standing in the way of reform and that
in doing so he f'digs his own political
grave" We are invited to discuss this
we differ from those now loudly clamor-
ing for this most radical change, that we
will be roasted alive and consigned for
ever to a grave of political degradation
and oblivion. Is this the proper spirit
which should actuate brother Democrats
in the discussion of a great question like
this, let US reason together in a friendly
spirit, threats, denunciation and coercion
can never win with a free and enighten-
ed people There are thousands of pure
men, life long bourbon Democrats, whose
every heart throb is in unison with the
welfare of the party, who desire the
right to be heard upon this question, and
before higher and greater tribunal
than a mere Executive Committee. Is
1t fair is 1t just to them to refuse this
hearing? Let the people in convention
assem- bled settle this question. The Exec
utive Com mittee should not apply the
gag law, to these old true and tried vet
Grams of Democracy. Another question
worthy of serious consideration. When
a candidate for office is required to go
out and canvass a whole State, which a
general primary would necessitate his do
ing the expense would be enormously
heavy local requirements that so much
should be paid before candidates name
should go on the ticket. might be very
heavy, in a recent election one county
alone required $50, siXty-six counties at
the nominal expense of S. each, would
amount to over $500 Many a worthy
poor man would be absolutely barred by