The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-10-03
COMMITTEE MAKES REPLY ID CHARGES Defines Its Position in EnSIey
 Politics WANTS A SHORT CAMPAIGN Resents the Assault Upon the lnteg- rity and organization of the Dem-
 ocratic Party In Munich
 pal Affairs.
WANTS A SHORT CAMPAIGN

To the Voters of Ensley:
 In the Sunday issue of The Age-Her- aid there was an address issued to the citizens of Ensley, and signed by cer- tain named gentlemen critcsing the ae- ton of the city democratic executive committee and its chairman, on account of the call made by them for primary election.
 We would not dignify their criticisms by answering them, no matter how many msstatements are contained therein, did they not assault the integrity and o1- ganization of the democratic party. They start out by admitting the regularity legality and authority" of our commit tee, yet further on advise democrats to stay out of the primary unless the com mttee yields to their demands. To use their language, Save our fire until it counts"
 Every intelligent citizen knows that the city democratic executive committee was elected by the voters two years ago, for the purpose of conserving party organ ization in city affairs, as heretofore. In | discharge of the duties imposed upon them, they assembled in pursuance of d call made by their chairman, of which due publicity was given through the daily press, and In the most harmonious
 
 primary on October %. The meeting was public, and there were no objections made to the date fixed before or at this time. Pursuant to instructions the chairman and subcommittee prepared the plans for said primary, and proceeded to carry out the law of the state governing said election. They also employed a registrar, who had already ordered his books, and agreed to pay him S3 per day.
 On the 26th instant, committee of five gentlemen, three republicans and two l democrats, called on the chairman and requested that he call the executive com mttee together on the night of the 27th instant for the purpose of hearing a pe- | tition which was then being circulated, asking the committee to rescind its for mer action and postpone the primary un- til January. The chairman informed them that their request was an unusual one coming after the committee had acted, but agreed to consider the matter, and give them an answer later.
 Just here we want to deny that any petition was presented to the chairman, though he asked for 1t, nor has he or the committee even seen the petition re- ferred to- As serious responsibility was placed on the chairman, he invited the members of the executive committee to an informal conference, on the night of the 18th instant It was explained to them that the law required thirty days l to the day of holding the same, publish- ed in a local newspapers and that fol- lowing the instructions of the committee he had placed the notice of election in the hands of the printer on that day, as he had been notified by the latter that the time limit had expired The commit- tee then decided there was nothing else to do except to go on with the primary on the date previously named though there were expressions of regret that the petition could not be heard on account of being too late.
 Replies In Detail.
 We will briefly answer some of the req sons assigned by the self-constituted, so- called citizens committee for postpone ment of the primary.
 l. They seem to prefer five months of politics to a thirty days campaign
 ?. The legal status of Tuxedo is now clearly defined The mayor resides in that ward, and if he is in doubt as to his legal status he ought to resign, because if he does not reside within the city limits his every act Is void, and may result in end less litigation against the city. The post ponement of the primary until January would result In the disfranchisement of every citizen in the annexed territory. If the supreme court should, before then, declare the law annexing it unconstitu-
 
 legislature in January it's citizens would not become qualified voters for ninety days under the city code.
 3. No one can vote in primary whether in October or January, unless he is qualified voter at the time. under the laws of Alabama The payment or not of the poll tax for 1906 will not affect his qualifi- cations at any election held prior to Feb ruary 1, 1907. Hence the public school
 
 In 1904 the primary was held on Novem- Der % In 1902 the nominations were made by mass meeting held at even an earlier date than last named. Mayor Scott voluntarily asked the chairman of our committee to fix an early date for the primary. giving as a reason therefor that |. business men wanted politics over as soon as possible This, however. was prior to the last primary, which resulted so disastrously to some peoples plans.
 Hot Charges.
 We desire to call attention to the fact that the chairman of the citizens com- mittee, which assumes such an air of dic- tation and authority to a democratic con- mittee, is a republican, and about half of the committee is composed of either republicans or defeated politicians In ad- dition to this regret that the mayor and city attorney who have been hon. ored by being nominated and elected by you as democrats are creating dissentions In the party by advising their friends to stay out of the primary, though they ad- init the regularity, legality and author ity" of the committees action.
 Recognizing the fact that some of our leading citizens are republicans and deslr- ing that they participate in municipal affairs. this committee, by it's rules, allows any qualified white voter to vote in it's primary without any other restrictions but they do resent the effort made on the part of this combination composed of few republicans and disappointed politi- clans to control this committee and dic- tate the policies of the democratic party of this city.
 We have acted in this matter from a sense of duty to our party, and for what we conceive to be the best interests of our city, and we believe that our course will be approved by all fair minded men,
 A. F. DEFUNIAK.
 D. A. ECHOLS. Sec.
 w. J. CUSSICK.
 W. w. SHORTRIDGE, Chm.
 F. J. LANCE.
 F. M SLlE.
 J. F. BROWN
 The other members of the committee l xx,are ont of town