The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-09-09
DEMOCRACY HAS AN OPEN DOOR

The Democratic party being the par
ty of the people it seeks recruits, not
alone in doubtful States or Repub-
lican States that it may overcome
adverse majorities, but in solid DEM
ocratic States. in order that it may
grow stronger, and be the party of
the great mass of the people.
With the arrival of the campaign
season and when primaries and con-
ventions are being held there often
arises the question as to the right of
this man or that man, to take part
in a primary election. There is that
question in North Carolina today. 1t
is here in Wake county as well as in
other counties of the State.
1t is a fact that goes without say
ing that only Democrats should take
part in Democratic primaries, but
there naturally follows the question as
to how a mans Democracy is to 'be
proven in case it is challenged, and
the necessary steps to be taken by
the applicant who desires to vote, in
order to prove this.
The question being a pertinent one
an interview was had yesterday with
Hon. F. NJ. Simmons. the Democratic
State chairman, who was asked to give
| his opinion on the subject In reply
ne said that he had been written to
| by a Democratic poll-holder who is
| soon to conduct a Democratic pri-
| mary, and that he had given him an
| answer in writing. Being asked to
give the purport of this, and to state
the necessary qualifications for voting
in a Democratic primary he said:
"Any white Democratic electOr II
entitled to vote i'm the primary accord
ing to- the plan. There is no hard and
fast rule for determining an electors
Democracy. 1t is Il question which adj
dresses itself to the good sense and
judgment Of the primary poll holders
and is TO be determined by the pCt
.itical course and conduct. past or
present. of the ciectOr. III he is in
truth and i'm fact one who sympathiZcS
with the general policies and princi-
pies Of the Democratic party he is q
Democratic e;cctor. OF course if he
does not sympathiZc with the general
and does not desire its success. but
wishes to vote simply to defeat or aid
IA Democratic aspirant for office he l.
not a Democratic electOr. These are
questions the good sense of the poll
holders must decide.
III there is doubt about the DemOc-
racy of an applicant to vote at a pri-
mary the poll holder has IL right to
interrOgatc the eiectOr and might
hear evidence. Unless both poll hold
ers decide against him he is entitled
TO vote. In that case he may state
how he would have voted and on ap-
peal the County Executive Commit
Zee decides the contest. The same Il
true i'm case he is allowed to vote
against the protest of one of the poll
holders. That Is to say. in the lat
ter case, the poll holders will make a
record of how he did vote and certify
that fact to the County Executive
Committee. who will decide whether
he was properly allowed to vote"
In the Democratic plan for primary
elections the following is the Ian
guage used in section six:
Every white Democrat elector shall
have the right to vote at his proper
polling place, and in case the vote of
q man claiming to be Democratic
GlectOr is chaIlengeQ on the GROUND
that he is not qualified as an elector
or is not a Democrat. he shall not be
denied the privilege of voting except
by the judgment of both pOll-hol 1ers
Every challenge shall be recorded, and
any candidate or his representative
dissatisfied with the result shall have
the right to appeal to the County
Executive Committee, and the County
Executive Committee shall hear the
same and allow or disalloW the vote
and shall amend the returns from
that precinct in accordance with its
judgment upon said appeal"
The Democratic party has an "open
door" to all who desire to become adj
herents of it's policies and principler
1t seeks converts to its cause, and IT
presents arguments why men should
become Democrats. 1t is not a party
of prescription, but relying upon the
great truths for which it stands it
says to all Come and be one with
us" :,