Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1902-02-22

pie, and We are glad 10 be able 10 give
our readers the explanation of the bill
by its author, Hon. e. f. Noel, as he
gave it to ths Senate;
The object of this bill is to enable .
those who elect the ticket in the fall |
TO select for the summer, affording
them every opportunity and safeguard |
in the selections that is provided for |
the election In other words, 1t car .
ries into primary elections all of the /
safeguards and penalties found in the
laws governing general elections, None
except qualified electors are permitted /.
to participate. The State Executive
Committee of each party can add such |
additional restrictions as they may |.
deem advisable. All primary elections |
are to be held on the same day
throughout the State, the date to be
fixed by the State Executive Commit
tee, not earlier than the list nor later
than the 10th of August. County ex-
ecutive committees fill the functions
Of elective commissioners and appoint
precinct officers and receive returns
from them, canvass these returns, and
declare the final result as to county
and county district officers and send
tabulated statements Of the result as
to State and district candidates to the
district and State Executive Commit
ices. If frauds are perpetrated they
can be investigated by county eXecu-
tive committees and corrected, Dis.
trict and State Executive Committees
have similar powers as to State and
district candidates. State and district
executive committees meet one week
after the first primary and compile
the vote. All candidates who receive
a majority of the popular vote are de-
Clared to be nominees for their respect
i've offices, When no candidate re-
ceives a majority Of the popular vote,
If the one who receives the highest
vote obtains majority of the electoral
vote he is declared the nominee The
electoral vote is determined by giving
to each county douDe the representa-
ton It has in the House Of Represent
atives and dividing that representa-
tion between each candidate in proper
ton to the actual vote cast in each
county. If no candidate receives a ma
jority, under either method, then the
two candidates who receive the high
est popular vote run the race over in
second primary election to be held
three weeks after the first. Where
county or county district candidates so
agree in writing filed with the eXecu-
tive committee, the first primary set
ties the contest as to them.
A State convention is to be held in
the year 1904 and every four years
thereafter, to select delegates to ma
tional convention and nominate presi-
Dental electors. Each county is to
have the same representation in the
State convention as is hitherto pro-
= vided, double its representation in the
] lower house of the Legislature, Dele
gates to the State convention have to
be chosen at a county convention
composed of delegates selected from
the different precincts, The State
convention chooses three members Of
the State Executive Committee from
each Congressional district, AMI the
county convention three executive
committeeman from each supervisors
: district. Each county selects in a way
q provided by its executive committee,
its committee men on the congression.
= al and judicial committees. County eX-
ecutive commiteess can fill all yacan-
cies for their respective counties on
-. judicial and congressional executive
committees. Executive committees are
shorn of nearly all their powers, be,
ing almost restricted to receiving and
compiling the vote of primary elec
t tions and of passing upon the question
Y of fraud in the conduct Of the elec
[, tion. The election commissioners are
i required to meet on the third Mon
c day in July preceding each regular
a primary election, instead of October as
t now, and to then revise the reglstra
: tion and poll books for use in the pri
l. mary as well as in the general elec
> tion.
J Each party shall bear the expense
of its own primary election and can
didates shall not be taxed with any
7 ether charges, except those OF print
=. ing tickets and sending out ballot
= boxes and booths, Candidates fol
. ftate and district offices shall not bt
+, assessed any more in any county thar
q ere county candidates for such ex
t. nenses. These are salient features O
a che bill, the other relating merely tt
l. detail.
d Nominees for district counties b!
Is convention are entirely dispensed with
Under such mode of nomination eacl
county has representation in proper
E ton to its population, including ne
o groes. While negroes are disqualified
II from being electors, they are voteC
4 by representation against white pee
e pie under such a mode of nomination
e, A county having 10000 whites and S0
"a 900 negroes under convention system
u has four times the strength of anothe
county having 10000 whites and n
y negroes. The chief object of this Law
+. was to hold the white people togethe
- by giving to each white man fair or
- portunity of expressing his choice o
candidates and of carrying that eS
preston into full effect. The prima
object of convention generally Is t
IN ignore the will and wish of the ma
y jority, and to carry into effect the dc
ol signs of the few who exercise contro
We over such parties. The influence o
~ such agencies, as well as the negr
:. representation incidental to conyer
:. tions, is done away with entirely b.
the measure under consideration.
CT The Lexington broom factory an er
T. terprise that has been in operation
?" but short while is so rushed wit