The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1902-04-13
Committeeman STILL
DISCUSSING PRIMARY

The following additional replies have
been received by the Age-Herald from
members of the state Democratic execu-
tive committee who were asked to ex-
press their views on The proposition Of
Democratic primary for the nomination
CT state Officers:
BELIEVES PRIMARY
is BEST METHOD,
To the Editor of the Age-Herald.
In reply to your request for my views
as to State and County primaries, l beg
leave TO say that it must be manifest to
the most casual observer of political SEN
timent in this State that there is wide
spread and growing dissatisfaction with
the present methods of nominating State
and County officials. Under our former
constitution reform of our suffrage and
election laws was impossible. The State
has Incorporated into its organic law, a
provision which made 1t powerless to re-
move the vicious and incompetent ele-
ment from our electorate. The adoption
Of the present Constitution was, there
FORE an unmistakable declaration by the
State that the methods by which we re-
tanned good government and white supre-
macy could no longer be tolerated. We
have removed every cause or excuse
which may formerly have justified I'M
fair or questionable methods in elections
The pledges Of the party have been re-
deemed, no white man has been disfran-
ch1sed and the negro Is no longer a fac
tor in State politics. The people, there
fore, demand that our reforms which
have been secured In our suffrage shall
extend to our primaries, and that the
nominations shall no longer be secured
by those most skilled in all the arts of
political chicanery, and Of manipulating
party conventions and machinery, but
| that every white Democrat shall have a
| voice in the nomination of those who
seek to control the dessfnies of the State.
believe system of primary elections,
properly regulated and controlled. is the
best method which has yet been devised
for securing true and honest expression
Of the popular will The adoption OF the
primary system does not mean that We
shall dispense with a State convention.
Such a convention wifi be obviously es-
sential for many purposes. the adoption
| of a platform and for consideration and
discussion of party needs and govern
| ment The question of a new Constitu
| ton can no longer be made an issue in
| the State Even II those who opposed
ratification should gain control Of all de-
par tnents of the government, 1t is folly
| to suppose that an effort would be made
to call another convention to adopt an
other Constitution. Tho overwhelming
sentiment in the 8tate p is In favor of
carrying out the provisions of the present
Constitution In good faith giving 1t a fair
trial and II defects are discovered to seek
a remedy by amendment However, there
can be no fear that any amendments viii
be hastily made No change can occur
that is not submitted to the people, and
subjected to the search light of public
Discussion and criticism. Tnis year will
mark n critical period In the history of
the party in Alabama. If We are to de-
serve or win success, we must show that
we are willing to trust the people, who
under our system of government are the
true sources of power The opponents of
ratification claimed that the present Con-