The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1904-04-30


names are printed on the ballot, is an
undeserved reflection upon the intel
ability, honesty, integrity,
and fairness of this committee, and
we do not believe that many OF the
signers Of the petition, II they had
fully considered the same, really
meant or intended what this request
really implies. We do not believe
that the democrats OF this county
want candidates for governor, residing
out Of the county, to In any way
interfere 10 the management Of our
elections, which have heretofore been
conducted by this committee, without
objection or criticism We are un-
willing to inject into Lafayette
county politics, which has always
been free from so.called machine
methods, " plan whereby candidates
for governor can usurp the powers,
duties and responsibilities Of this
committee, which has heretofore and
is now acting fairly and justly toward
all candidates, according to the doc
trine, "equal rights and opportunities
to all; special privileges to none -
S. N. Wilson spoke in ia vor Of
adopting the resolutions. He said ia
answer to the argument as to the
petitioners constituting more than
half of the democratic voters, that the
lists had been submitted to the
committeeman from the various
townships of the county and that they
had in hasty review found more
than one hundred names Of known
republicans and minors. That the
number OF iueigibes was doubtless
much greater than this; that If these
were omitted the number fell below a
a majority OF the democratic voters
estimated 10y the vote at the
last primary Besides, he denied
that the recent primary vote
was a full vote of the party anC
cited other elections in which tn,
vote was 300 or 400 greater. FL
sald that the committee was recentl,
elected upon the primary issue IL
some townships and that 10 the otheri
they had been instructed wher
elected, and that even if the petition
were a majority petition, the reques
was as unreasonable and as improper
as it would be to petition for tht
election Of a new committee on tn,
ground that the people had charged
their minds, He said that the com
mittee had ordered no assessments TO
a primary, and that everybody coull
vote at a convention as easily as at
primary; that 10 Lexington and Soutl
Higginsvlle he felt sure the commit
tee, if requested, would keep the poll
open all afternoon and into the night
should this be desired
William Aull said that all the ger
tlemen who had spoken for th
petition had indicated that they wer
largely influenced in the matter b
their solicitude for some favorit
candidate, aud that they had all feI
called upon 10 say that they woul
support the nominee whether he wa
their favorlte or not; that when Oh
democratic party fell into such stat
as this, it was time for committee
aud for central organization He sal
, that he preferred the conventio
system where democrats clme togetl
er face to face, elected their chairman
chose their delegates, and instructe
them. He denied that this pla
e dlsfranchised anybody, and said ths
! it had always been the plan in th
! county, He said that the reque'
that the candidates themselves selel
D the judges and clerks, not even spec
flying that they be democrats {
' citizens of the state-iust so the
5 we're Folk men or Reed men-ws
A preposterous and a reflection upon til
! committee, and that if be were
e member of the committee, he woul
5 resign before he would entertain
o request containing an inslnuatioI
e He said that the statutes Of the stal
0 regulated primaries in counties whel
the primary system is prescribed, an
n that the kind of primary petitione
i. for would be in plain violation Of ii
e statutes governing primaries in IL
J. home counties OF the candidate
n themselves.