The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-04-08
Communicated
CHAIRMAN ARD
Writes Explaining Action of the Dem
ocratic Subcommittee.

To the Editor of The Age-Herald:
| have endeavored to keep out of news
paper controversies IN the management
of this primary election, and so far have
successfully done so. As chairman of the
subcommittee | have refrained from
rushing into the public press TO discuss
the methods of conducting the primary
with every person who fancied himself
much better qualified to attend to the ar
rangement of the details of this election
than the gentlemen who have the honor
to compose the subcommittee, parties,
whom when the committee has failed to
follow their gratutious suggestions, have
rushed into the public press, and sought
to question the motives of the committee.
l have promptly given TO the public,
through the medium of the daily papers,
the official acts of the committee. and
am willing to let the unbiased public be
the Judge as to how faithfully and in
diligently we have performed our duties.
The editorial in Tuesdays Ledger
headed 1.-The Delegation does the corr
mittee so much injustice that l feel some
of the assertions contained therein. which
are serious reflections upon myself. and
the other gentlemen, who are serving on
this committee with me, should not be al
lowed to go unchalenged. The acts of
the committee are at all times open to
fair and just criticism, but when an at
tempt is made TO infiame the public mind
by misrepresentation In an editorial
In the columns of one of the leading daily
papers, l feel in justice to the committee
that 1t is time for the truth to be known,
If the Ledger had confined itself TO am
expression of an opinion. a reply would
not now be necessary, because [ recog-
nize its rights to express its opinion as
to how the details of the primary election
should be conducted. When it says "As
the ticket is now made up and the demo-
Gratis have to choose the list of thirty
from names put ON the ticket in punches
instead of in regular order, as the primary
law requires by what authority does it
make the assertion.
Now. will the Ledger be kind enough
to inform the public which section of the
primary law, or any other law. makes
any such requirements, TO justify 1t in
making such assertions. decision of
the city court of Birmingham, land of
which I cannot believe the Ledger Is In
ignorance. as 1t appeared In it,. was rem
dered a few days ago. and in which it
was held that the primary law does not
apply to candidates except for a public
office, and that candidates for delegates
were not candidates for a public office,
therefore the primary law has no appli-
cation to candidates for this position
Also I beg to inform the Ledger that
there Is not now any law requiring the
printing of names of candidates for pub
lie office either before the primary, or in
the general election in any particular
manner. This arrangement for primary
elections is left entirely to the discre-
ton of the committee So when the Led
ger makes the statement that the com
mittee has put the names on the ticket
in punches, instead of in regular order.
as the primary law requires 1t has said
in effect, that the committee has disre-
garded the law of the state, and set the
committees Judgment up against the
wisdom of the legislature. The Ledger
has thus given some color to its kick
and has done the committee a great in
Justice by its statement.
stand ready to do as much for "par-
ty and party harmony as the editor of
the Ledger, but do you think 1t Is work
ing to that end, when it so (misrepre-
sents1 the committee and attempts
into disrepute? If you will examine the
ticket, as it has been printed by the
committee, you will find that there is
nothing to prevent the voter from voting
for the thirty candidates of his choice,
whether they be on the socalled white"
or Johnston ticket.
accord the Ledger the right to take
issue with the committee on the details
of the plan adopted by It, and to fairly
criticize its action, but do not accord
to 1t the right by Misrepresentation, and
under the plea of party harmony to put
them in a false light before an intelligent
public. Yours very truly,
J. b. ARD,
go Chairman Sub Committee