The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-01-07
! .al1i. !. : E Democrats to S ect
 Candidates
 April Us MR. MALLop CHAIRMAN E Selma Man Had No Opposition 1. for Place. A Strong Undercurrent Among the Members for the Old Conven- ton System of Selecting
 Candidates of the
 Party.

The State Executive Committee of, the Democratic party of Alabama. at its meeting yesterday. ordered general State primary for April Il and elected Hon. H. s. D. Mallory of Selma it's chair. man by a unanimous vote to succeed Hon. R. J. Lowe of Birmingham, who resigned to become a candidate for President of the Railroad Commission.
 A State Convention was ordered to be held In Montgomery on May 9 to elect delegates to the National Convention and to nominate Presidential electofs.
 Proctor Stood Alone.
 The subcommittee appointed several months ago to drafe a plan for the nom- ination of State officers renewed it's rec ommendation for a primary on August B. but the State Committee went through the report, struck out August wherever 1t occurred. and put in April Il. The State Committee would have no August prim- ary. It stood for an early primary and a short campaign and nothing that small minority. could say or do affected that po- sition.
 The subcommittee appeared to be lit- tie half-hearted in It's recommendation for an August primary. seeming to make it for the sake of consistency. A sole member of the subcommittee, John r.. Proctor of Jackson, stood forth to fight for an August primary. Other members of the subcommittee asquiesced in what they regarded as the will and the demand of the people for an early primary.
 The convention advocates made but a poor showing. They were never able to blown horn that would summons cor poral's guard. J. H. Nathan of Colbert rode up and down in front of the primary hosts Haunting the convention fight, but he never had enough backing to attract attention. x - [ commlttee stood for and voted fof prim- afy fhere was among the members a strong hnderc0rrent of personal, sym ;patiiy for the old convention plan. It IS more than suspected that of the great majority of the committee who voted for the primary many of them personally fa- vored convention. but sacrificed thelr prefences for a convention to the demand of the, people for a primary.
 These committeeman wanted a conven- ton. but they understood and appreciated the call from the people for another pri- mary. Two or three members of the com- mittee had no hesitancy Is so outlining their position. The convention advocates. when the showdown came, could only produce four votes. out the natural infer 0NSo rum tniS NOte Lnat tile convention plan is dead would be erroneous.
 Sentiment for onvention.
 Many of the party leaders in their hearts cherish the old convention plan. They have laid it aside for time re- 1uctantly. The indications, showing from beneath the surface, are that the con vention plan has not been abandoned. but has been put away to await a favor able opportunity for resurrection. And many of the men who had power and strength in the old conventions are scan ming the horiozon for favorable omens of the resurrection and rehabilitation of the old plan.
 Unless the signs of yesterdays meet ing were read wrong, the advocates of primary for the selection of candidates in the next general election will have to fight for all they get and fight hard.
 Carson c. Whitson of Talladega rode into the list to help the convention cham pion Nathan declaring that the call for a primary came only from the press of the State and not from the people. The primary advocates did no talking and made no arguments. They were content to smother their opponents with votes when the roll was called.
 Plurality Plan Adopted.
 The committee wiped out the old ma- jority requirement of two years in a pri- mary. Under the old plan will be re- called candidate fin a primary was re- quired to receive a majority of the votes cast before he could secure the nomi- nation. If all candidates fell short of majority the two highest men were put up for a second race. Tn the last State primary, it will be recalled 1t took two races to name the attorney general of Alabama. The majority rule failed to work Gaffaf0fnrilxr nd ha rOrnn1iff0a abolished it.
 In the coming primary a candidate to win has only to receive the most votes. The seven leading candidates for justices of the Supreme Court will receive the seven places, and the candidate for pres idnt of the Railroad Commission who gets the most ballots will receive the Nomination whether he gets a majority of the votes or not.
 The State Committee, however did not enforce it's views upon the county com mittees. The county committees were given the right to invoke the majority rule If they see fit to do SO. In fact the county committees were given all the freedom and latitude that Aa%y could ask for.
 Twenty-Nine Members Present.
 The committee adopted eloquent reso- lutions upon the deaths of Hon. Tennent LomaA or montgomery, and Judge Y. A. Austin of Wetumpka, testifying to the high esteem in which these two deceas- ed members of the committee were held.
 The meeting of the committee was held in the City Council Chamber In the city building on Monroe street. The attend ance of members was quite large. there being only seven of the tbirty-slx mem- bers absent. The members who were present were:
 Chairman-Robert J. Lowe, Jefferson, 
 First District-W. A. Carter, Clarke. Howard DouElas, Washing ton. Mcintosh Blum; J. J, King, MarengO. Consul
 Second District-W. c. Coker. Butler, Greenville; George w. Jones. MOntgom- cry, Montgomery: J. R. Porterfleld, But Ter, Greenville; William H. Sanford, Pike. Troy.
 Third District-H. H. Foster. Geneva.