The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1902-07-12
Plan COntemplateS Three
Elections If Necessary.
ONLY Democrats Will Be Al
lowed to Vote.
Committee Completed It's Work
Yesterday-Substitu Plan of
Johnstonites Was Not
Considered Though
Presented.

The first act in the present political
drama closed at 40 o'clock yesterday
afternoon when the State Democratic
Committee. after laboring three and
half hours. completed the regulations
governing the forthcoming primary, fixed
August Is as the date of its holding and
adjourned
Interest in the second days session was
confined almost entirely to members OF
the committee. The great crowd OF DEM
ocrats which sat throughout the history
making session of Thursday was not
present yesterday Many of the visiting
Democrats departed from the city yes
terday morning They had pinned their
homes upon the ordering of primary,
and when their dearest wish had been
Rratified. they did not wait to watch the
unfolding of the details of the plan by
which the primary was to be executed.
At 10 o'clock yesterday morning, the
hour named for the assembling of the
committee to receive the report OF the
subcommittee appointed to draft rules
and regulations for the primary, II was
announced in the court room of the Mont
somery City Court that the sub-commit-
tee would not be ready to report until IL
o'clock and that the State Committee
would not convene until that hour. But
few spectators had gathered at the court
house, and only committeeman were dis
appointed by the announcement.
The committeeman, following this an
nouncement, proceeded to loiter about the
court room and wait. Meanwhile the sub
committee was working away at its re-
port in a room at the Exchange Hotel.
Hysterical ones began TO circulate re-
ports that an effort was making to de-
lay final action on the primary question
until absent members Of the committee,
who favored a convention could be sum-
moned to Montgomery. 1t was further de-
1Iared that when the committee. reas-
sembied there would be amazing sur
prises, and that there would be post
ponement of the pending question. These
reports were without foundation.
At IL o'clock many committeeman began
to gather in the City Court room
Watches were. consulted, but the sub
committee came not. A message was re-
ceived from the hotel that the sub-com-
mittee would be ready to report in a short
while This satisfied the committeeman
excepting those who were anxious to get
away from the city on evening trains.
The clock in the court room was about
ITO sound the hour of l o'clock, when the
subcommittee came into the court room
and Chairman Lowe went to the desk
of the presiding officer.
The spectators watched the call of the
roll with apparent interest. anxious to as.
certain If there had been arrivals since
the committee had declared for a primary
at its meeting on Thursday The roll
call developed the presence OF the same
twenty-seven committeeman who had vot-
ed on the proposition Thursday.
Hon. Alfred NJ. Tunstall of Greensboro
was Immediately recognized by Chairman
Lowe.
Mr.. Tunstall apologized to the whole
committee for the delay in submitting
the report of the subcommittee, which
he sent to the Secretary's desk
The report was read by Secretary Pugh
and the committeeman followed it closely
At the conclusion of the reading, Hon.
John V. Smith moved that the report be
considered by sections. This motion was
adopted
The first section Of the report provided
for primary election to be held on Au-
gust IS.
Mr.. Sanford of Pike moved that this
section be adopted.
Mr.. Graves of Montgomery offered an
amendment, fixing the date at Septem-
Der s. He said he did so because he
thought August Is was too early The
committee. he said, had declared for a
primary; it should now give the people
and the candidates time to consider the
campaign.
Mr. Sanford argued that plenty of time
was provided by the report, considering
the hot weather Therefore he moved to
lay the amendment of Mr.. Graves on the
table.
Mr. O'Neal of Lauderdale demanded
the ayes and nays and the vote resulted:
Ayes-Messrs. j. V. Smith, Tunstall,
Stevens, Steven Smith. Dunn. Sanford,
Fraser, Arlington, Mallory, Whitson,
Brightman, A. P. Smith. Scale, Haral
son. Jones, Given. Sanders. Kumpe Hail.
c. B. Smith
Nays-Messrs Lowe. O'Neal, Helm.
Mullins, Miller. Graves Merrill.
So the amendment was tabled.
Mr.. o'Neal then sent up an amendment
hxing the date as the first Monday in
September and made a speech.
He said there was no necessity for
precipitating the primary upon the peo-
pie in hurry. 1t was unfair to the can
didates. as 1t did not give them time to
make a campaign. 1t would be charged,
he said, that it was done to prevent GER
tain men from becoming candidates
Mr. Stevens of Mobile supported the
subcommittee report. The State Com
mittee was here he said to take care of
the votes and not to take care of the
candidates. If man did not have in
telligence enough to make up his mind
how to vote within thirty days. then Mr..
Stevens declared he could not be per
mitted to vote. No candidate, he said.
had the right TO ask the Committee to
consult his convenience,
Mr.. Tunstall Of Hale called attention
70 the fact that the plan provided for a
second primary in the event candidates
did not receive majorities in the first
hat In of 10 IN,
second primary. which was remote con-
+tnearcv he said provision was made
hv the report for a third primary He
eTnIained further that the general cleo
zion was to take place in November. and
that under the statutes the names Of all
candidates must be filed with the secre-
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