The Gainesville star. [volume] (Gainesville, Fla.) 1903-19??, 1904-01-15

suit me. 20 the primary Is held 10
time to elect delegates to the Ma
tionAl Convention, and that Is abso'
lutely necessary,
The Democratic Platform provides
for the nomination Of all candidates
At the same primary,
In addition to that. the primary
election law under which the primary
Is to be held provides in Section II
as follows;
"The primary election Of a political
party FOR ALL PURPOSES shall be
held throughout the state on the Same
day, but the primary elections for dr.
fersnt political parties may be held on
separate days."
Therefore we could not, under that
law, hold primary for tho election
OF delegates to a County Convention
to elect delegates to state Conven'
ton to elect delegates to National
Convention. and then subsequently
hold another primary to nominate can
ddates for office, And II sometimes
occurs to me that those who are agl'
tating for the late primary to nomt
nate candidates FOR Office, hope, by
that agitation. TO bring about a call
for a state Convention 10 elect dele
gates to the National Convention, and
when the State Convention gets In
session, raise the question that, hav
ing elected delegates to a County Con
ventlon, under the primary law, a soc.
ond primary TO nominate State Off
GERS and United States Senators can
not legally be held to justify that Con
ventlon in making those nominations
itself; or else the corporation crowd
desire tho holding OF a State Conven'
ton outside Of the protection OF the
primary election law, so that they can,
On they have heretofore done. vote
persons who are not qualified 10 vote,
regardless OF tho registration books,
AS to the date OF tho convention,
however, II tho National Convention
Is called. as appears now TO be likely
late In June or even on the 9TH Of,
July, as was the case four years ago
the FIRST primary will have to be held
four weeks before the second primary
which must necessarily be held early
enough so that the returns can BIO can
Vatsed by the State Committee In
time to give the delegates to tho Ma
tional Convention reasonable notice
to get to the National Convention.
Heretofore II has been deemed neces
sary TO elect delegates 20 the National
Convention about two weeks before
the National Convention meets, OF
course that time could be cut down
some, but not much, II the delegates
elected are to be notified OF their cleo
ton and make arrangements to get To
the Convention. Tho Convention OF
June 20, 1900, elected delegates to the
National Convention.
Suppose that tho State Committee
is to meet June 20 TO canvass the ro'
turns OF the second primary and give
the delegates to tho National Conven
ton their credentials, II will require
at least two weeks form thO date OF
the holding OF the second primary
until the meeting Of the State Com
mittee 20 enable IN ereturns TO be got
ten in from outlying precincts in the
several counties to DO canvassod by
the County Committees and get the
returns forwarded to the State Com
mltteo Two weeks was not enough
time two years ago, and tho State
Committee had TO accept telegraphic
returns In some instances, which, OF
course, should be avoided in the next
primary. So that, In my judgment, In
order to be absolutely sure that the
returns will BIO In good shape, the sec
ond primary should be held not later
than the first Of June, II the State
Committee Is 10 meet on the goth OF
June 10 mako the official canvass; and
II the second primary is to be held
on the list OF June, the FIRST primary
must necessarily be held about the
LIST OF May, so that II appears that,
unless the National Convention Is
held later next year than II was four
years ago, the FIRST primary will have
10 DO held not later than the first Of
May, or possibly a very few days
later; and tho question as to wheth'
or the primaries shall be held early
In April and early in May, or on the
list OF May and the LIST OF June, ap
pears TO me to be tho limit OF discus
sion.
THE WISHES OF THE PEOPLE.
The Convention TO elect delegates