The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-01-12
POLITICIANS TALK
 OF WHITSON PLAN
Bob Lowe Says Committees
 Work Was Unselfsh
JESSE STALLINGS' VIEWS
Candidate for United States Senate Heartily Endorses Plan-John w. Ton1llnson, Asbury Thompson
 and Walter Moore Dissent.

Public sentiment in Birmingham regard ing the Whitson plan of primary elec- ton which was adopted by the democratic state committee at Montgomery Tuesday Is divided
 Here are some of the opinions express ed yesterday:
 Robert J. Lowe, formerly chairman of the democratic state committee:
 So far as I have studied the plan adopted by the committee. I am not ln- elned to criticise unfavorably the com mittees action. hope and believe it was non-partisan and unselfsh
 If I had been on the committee, should have favored proposition in the alternative.
 First that in case of a vacancy in mary should be held throughout the state to nominate successor.
 1 Second, that the governor should call the legislature in extraordinary session to name senator.
 "I hold this position without reference to the age of our present United States senators.
 The constitutional convention" con tinued MT. Lowe, saw fit to provide that the legislature should meet but once in four years. The governor is elected, or should be. on state issues. I do not believe that the people are ready or willing to 1 turn over to the governor the power to name their federal senators. Under exist 1 ing conditions it is not improbable that an appointment in interim by a gover- nor would, in case of vacancy in the United States senatorship, be almost equivalent to an appointment to serve out a full term.
 When the legislature was In the habit of meeting every two years. the question of senatorial appointments by the gover- nor was not of so much consequence as it now is when the legislature meets only once in four years.
 1 "On the whole I am inclined to think that the committee acted wisely in at l tempting to provide a plan whereby the selection of United States senators would be entrusted as nearly as possible to the people rather than. to single individual in the person of the governor
 staIines on Primary.
 Jesse Stallings, former member of Con gross and tentative candidate for the United States Senate:
 i "The action of the committee meets with my unqualified approval. l am now | as l have always been heretofore, in favor of primary elections for the nomina- tion of legislative and executive officers. state as well as national 1 sarha oo,,r,,ttootu aa4s... with the advanced and progressive dem oeratic principles and policies It is in- l tended to invest and. it's operation will l invest with the people. who are the source of all power, the right and the oppor- tunity of selecting their servants in the state and federal government T have no sympathy with the cry that | the people cannot be trusted, that they | are not intelligent, and that they are as l Alexander Hamilton once said, nothing more than a beast" All that is republ- can doctrine. The people, in my judg- ment, are supreme, and their judgment l Is, in the long run, sound, if not in- | fallble.
 Let us then, following the path blazed | by the state committee, go out before the people and submit to their superior 1 Judgment, superior integrity and superior patriotism the selection of all our execu- tive and legislative officers and the set clement of all political problems with which we are confronted.
 "T'he democratic party, in order to continue in power and in usefulness. must represent the solid sense of the | people. This can best be done by per- hitting and encouraging the individual voter to participate actively in politics. The primary election plan adopted by the state committee will go far toward ac- complaining that result. think the state committee should be eleced by primary" | John London, attorney at law: q am heartily in favor of the plan adopted by l the committed"
 | John W. Tomlinson, attorney at law, and a mentioned candidate for the United States senatorship: q believe in the cleo 1 tion of United States senators by the direct vote of the people. wish that the state committee had recognized that prin- clple of the democratic party and stated 1t clearly, unequivocally and emphatical- 1 ly. The committee did not do so, or if 1t did so at all it recognized the principle only indirectly and partly"
 County Chairman. Asbury Thompson, chairman Jefferson 1 county executive committee: ..t am em- phaticallv onnosed to fba nIoo .s,sot-