The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1903-09-29
To the Democrats of Caroline
County.

A card published in The Free Lance OF
September 18th by Mr.. A. h Chandler
an independent candidate Tor the once
Of Commonwealth Attorney, demands
some notice at my hands. IL was VIZ
orous statement OF ONE SIDE oil the
controversy now dividing the people OF
our county IL is only fair that both
sides should be stated. will say, IN the
first place. that | WAS not partial 70
precinct meetings and did not advise
them, but the County Committee having
ordered them, as "a Democrat, ] propose
TO stand by it's action.
Our County Committee consists OF ~
members. nearly all Of them being pres
ent on the occasion referred 10. VIVA,
took place In the committee room, hs
am informed, is AS follows On motion
that there be no nominations Tor county
officers. it appeared that eleven voted
for the motion and nine against, several
OF the committee being present and not
voting. The secretary counted ana
stated the vote, but no announcement
was made by the chairman; a division
WAS called for. which showed the same
result. Immediately a RECORDEDNOTE
was called for, and pending this. mo-
ton TO adjourn was made, when mouoh
vas not put. because vote on the orig
inal motion was pending and undeter-
mined and under those circumstances
motion to adjourn WAS not In orner'
While a recorded vote was being taken
SEVEN members OF the committee win
drew leaving - present. these h''eeh
members, q majority OF the whoie com
mittee. voted for nominating cohNen
tion and fixed the time and plans Tor the
election Of delegates. IL Will he alinlt
tod that any member OF the committee
had a right to call for recorded Vote;ii
wjll also be admitted by all lair mined
man that while that vote was beng
t.len a motion to adjourn could not r.
,,sIIv he entertained. IL is inconcievable
that MAJORITY should run away
from a MINORITY. II the advocates Of
denominations we're in the majority IN
sald committee, why did they not re-
main and insist on their parliamentary
rights? -. so
ing a convention WAS perfectly regular,
legal and should be binding upon 81
Democrats. IL should not be OVERLOOKED
that this action was taken 10y the NhN
committee " hich had been elected at the
recent primary On the 2Vth Oi august
Tho old committee had been criticised 10y
Mr. Chandler in published carl, In
which card he styled them the so Jailed
n.moc,atic Committee; AMI alter a
contest in the primary the old commit
,aa ,,as rs.elerted with the exception Of
two or three members. The new CON
mittee then. seems To have been the
choice Of the Democratic voters Il thr
county and one rv..1 :at"raily INFER
that In the action they took they repre-
sent the wishes OF their constituents
Certain 1t il that they are the duly eject,
ed aud qualified County COMMITTEE ana
! IL ia not claimed otherwise. Ihe action
az the committee was within the scope
of its authority. II " as In harmony WIN
/ the State organization, and its acil IL
the action o! the Democratic party Of
Caroline and binding upon its indiViiua
members.
Asto the wisdom Of their action IL
ordering a convention. ! say nothing
ltwas a uuestion for thecommittee To DE-
eide The State organization recOumennr
nominations whenever demo Gratis are
opposing each other. Party safety de'
mands r. and nominations have been
made already In ~ counties in the state
IL counties have ordered hoinln"'ions
and in two there are none.
The plan Of having two delegates ron
each precinct, without reghro I"
it's voting strength, may not be iH'f OF
Democratic, but it has been Done hereto
fore largely 10 this county, ana 10 AS iaif
for one candidate as another 10 the long
run. Ia il not as likely that Mr. Chand-
ler could have secured the delegates rom
the smaller precincts, as well NJ could
or il he afraid to trnst himself 10 the
Democratic voters OF the county
II this method OF epportioning deie
gates ia unfair. 1t can be remedled within
the party whenever the people see Mt u
do 80 by electIng a committee pleugeu 10
make the change; surely not by true nuu
tried Democrats boiling the party nc
ton at the solicitation OF a candidate
and his supporters whocould not OBTAIN
I what they desired, a free hght.
This same objection OF Unfair appor-
tionment would also apply to the make
I'D OF the County Committee, whlch con
.ists of two members from each precinct
without regard to voting strength, ye,
the committee has been thus constituted
/ for many, many years and though com
plants have been made from time 10
time. no alteration has been mace
have always understood that this ar
rangement was made a. concession u
the county districts, at a time when unity
and harmony were essential to Demo
cratic success. in order 10 appease ieel
ing Of jealousy Of Bowling Green pre-
cinct. the county fearing the b. o. pre-
cinct, through it's greater numbers
would control the affairs OF the county
in its own interest. The Democrats OF
the county have never been willing 20
surrender this concession. IL may or
that something Of the same spirit se'u'
sted the committee in its recent ACTON