The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-09-11
MUNICIPAL POLITICS.
Concerning Primary Plan.


To the Editor of The Age-Herald.
The executive committee of the demo-
cratic party for the city of Birmingham
will, according to reports, soon be called
together by Chairman Abernathy to de-
termine the date for the city primary cleo
ton, and prepare a plan therefor. II Is
rumored that the majority of the commit
tee has already, in caucus" decided In
favor of three distinct propositions, VIZ:
l. To fix the date of the primary for some
day next month in advance of the cleo
ton of city officers by the mayor and al
dermen which VIII take place at the reg
u1ar meeting of the city council the first
Wednesday in December. 2. To declare
that the one of the six or i-Aors eandi-
dates for mayor, who shall receive the
plurality of votes In the primary shall be
the nominee, without requiring a second
primary TO be Held between the two cam
didates receiving the largest pluralities,
and to establish the same 1ule as to the
candidates for aldermen in the nine diff
ferent wards of the city g. To have the
names of candidates for the various city
offices. treasurer, clerk, city engineer. city
attorney chief of fire department, sexton
of pauper cemetery over Red mountain.
etc, printed on the primary ballot, so that
to employ at its regular meeting In De-
cember to fill said places the persons who
may happen to receive in the primary the
plurality votes for said positions.
All three of these propositions are very
important matters to the citizens of this
city, from a business as well as polit-
ical standpoint and | should be very glad
to see a full and free discussion thereof
through the press, which is the medium
of reaching By far the largest number of
oisinterested and thoughtful citizens.
As to the first proposition, an early
primary, the main objection seems to be
that IL Is too far in advance of the reg
ular city election, which the law fixes for
next May, and that to have 1t this fall
will entangle and confuse 1t with the ma
tional and state elections, which take
place early in November which will give
us all the politics we can stand up to for
the next two months. 1t threatens an
Overdose" of politics. and an overdose -
rather calculated to stupefy than to en-
tighten the average voter. Let us do and
get through with one thing at time, and
the thing will be better done.
As to the second proposition; plurali-
~ plan for nominating the mayor and
nine aldermen: this is Objectionable In
view of the conditions as they now stand,
with six announced candidates for mayor,
and a probability of more than two can
didates for aldermen in several OF the
wards CT the city; and more Objectionable
as the establishment Of dangerous pre-
cedent. If the nominee is to be chosen
by plurality vote from among six can
didates at this election. we may have
dozen or more candidates for mayor at
the next election, and the plurality plan
| would make II possible for the nominal
ton to be made by 800 voters or less, out
of 5000 democrats. The plurality plan
makes II possible for small minority.
who may stand together for one reason
or another, to name the nominee of the
democratic party; in short, 1t substitutes
the power of faction for the power of the
majority. This is contrary to the prin-
ciples and teachings of the democratic
party. the very bedrock of which is
the rule of the majority. The argument
that the people get enough of politics in
one primary, and that second primary
makes too much expense, is a fallacious
argument. The expenses of the primary
are borne by the candidates and their
personal friends and a second primary
does not mean cent out of the pocket
OF the voter or out of any public fund.
see that four out of the six announced
candidates for mayor have signed a let
ter to the city executive committee OPP
posing the plurality plan, and certainly
IL the candidates themselves are willing
to stand the expense of a second primary
in order that the nominee of the party
may be finally named by a majority vote
of all democrats. the voters should be
willing. The only objection which any
disinterested voter can offer to second