The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-10-29
SOMEWHAT SUSPICIOUS.
The Attitude of the State Committee
 at Birmingham.

The Attitude of the State Committes at Birmingham.
 Huntsville Mercury. ..,. The failure of the pemocIau r'.ss' Committee to act decsively and afnrina- lively in the matter of ordering unI, form primary for the nomination oL al state officers to be elected next N0vsH- Der year, was a great surprise ana ols, s,, appointment Certainly no fah man can possibly deny, from what has occuIIeu in Alabama politics in the last two years, that the Democratic party oI me Ssaos l,s stands almost solid for the noihinatfen or all State officers by primary
 This being true, the Democratic state
 Executive Committee has no right nor
 has 1t the power to S. doahtfel hu hesitat
 ing policy of the executive committee hi appointing committee to report by the 18th of January the method or plan for the nomination of state officers. sounds and looks very much like d ''feeler put out to see if there could be found a little political support If the committee should order the old system of convention, which for years has disgusted, shocked and nauseated the fair Democrats of our State.
 ! It looks very much like that quite a number of the members of the executive committee might be pleased to order 4 primary for the nomination of certain State officers. The Mercury realizes what fight there has been throughout the State to shake off the manipulatnrs and beneficiaries of the old convention sys- tenn. That is but natural, for it is a well known fact that some of the very small est men in Alabama politics have been brought to the surface and into import ance by the trickery, deceit and fraudu lent deals of the convention. Many of such men could not get a bakers dozen votes. if their names were submitted 10 a popular vote in their precinct.
 Does the State Executive Committee wish to re-esta blish this crying evif in Alabama politics? The Mercury thinks the signs given by the committee are at least suspicious. It is no use in the dem- ocrats of Alabama speaking out on this subject. They have done that in very emphatic manner. The primary has been tried in our State in State and national elections. and has given entire satisfac- tion in the selection of men of ability and high character to fill all rS sitions of trust. Of course it is pretty we'll understood in Alabama that there is very small coterie" of well educated gentlemen, who have in the past had some unpleasant political experience who Justify decry primary, because they say that the peo- pie are not competent to name their own candidates. It may be possible in the near future that the light may break on these gentlemen. as to what the people really think of them. What reason has the State Executive Committee given for their failure at the recent meeting, to adopt the primary, make it uniform and fix the day? All the members agreed that the primary, if held, would have to be at all cdTIy udte Tn OfQ6r that certain voters under the poll tax disability could participate. most excellent reason IS that. If the primary may be ordered at the meeting of the committee to be held ed for April, then the committee has walked up the hill and back again. ? Why it was reported that one of the dis tinguished members of the committee said that 1t would make a short campaign if the committee would postpone. There are number men now actively at work for the nomination of governor nearly four years off.
 who undertook after their action to ex- plain that they were in favor of a pri- mary, full credit for what they said on that line. But the people of our party the ball" We realize that the influence at Montgomery that eau Id an extension of the terms of Railroad Commissioners were afraid of a primary. It Is also be- lieved throughout the State that the lead ing men who made determined effort to prevent the numbering of the ballot, were and are today hostile to a primary. ..Issst;r Inese two .at influences were among the were present in the city of Birmingham during the very short session of the com mittee.
 It looks to The Mercury that there is quite sentiment in the committee to nominate all candidates by primary ex- cept Judges of the Supreme Court and delegates to the National Convention. our new eOnstitution-makers promised that under the welcome influence of the new constitution we would have fewer elections. The people are compe- tent to select Supreme Court Judges. Why not? It would be an easy matter for the people to name delegates to our National Convention. by Congressional Districts and for the State at large All that could be so easily arranged by the Executive Committee if they wanted to do it. There is a fine "job'' and much wire work to be done in having the.Gele- gation from Alabama to our National Convention instructed. Of course that IS not practical except through a conven- tion.
 The Mercury has no hesitancy in saying in It's advocacy of primary it represents nineteen-twentieths of the Democrats of this section.