The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1908-01-02
IN TENNESSEE

The demand for primary for gov
ernor is Fictitious. 1t is not made in
the interest Of the people or the party.
1t proceeds from q noisy few, and
these have been the open and avowed
enemies Of the States Democratic ad-
ministration from the first. Some OF
them voted the Republican tirket;
some voted the Democratic ticket re-
lunctantly, and few publicly declar'
ed for 1t, in order to keep their records
straight, and in the hope Of favors to
come. They were as much opposed to
primary two years ago as they are in
favor of one now. Why? They thought
shey were succeeding with the snap
convention then, and they know that
they cannot employ such methods now.
There will be no snap conventions this
year nor next year. There will be q
square deal for everybody. The noisy
demand for q primary deOeives nobody.
It is being worked by the element re-
ferred to, and these succeed in Undue
ing many to sign petition for pri-
mary when, as o matter of fact, they
care nothing about it. It is an effort
made in the interest Of faction, and
ostensibly Of one man.
Why is anybody so anxious for
primary? How can the interests of the
party be promoted by primary con-
Quoted between two Democrats, who
may never be able to agree as to the
result Of that primary, in which event
NO committee decision would likely
prove satisfactory, II there is to be
no convention, who Is to make the
plAtform2 If there is to be q oonven-
zion, shall it make the platform, while
the ticket is nominated by primary
Is 1t the desire for keeping any candi-
date from speaking out on any live is-
sue until he is nominated? And then
what about q PLATFORM
Why not have district primary, in
which every voter can vote his choice
as easily ss in general and direct
primary, the delegates thus elected to
attend county convention to elect
delegates to a State convention, and
these to carry out the will Of the peo'
pie, and nominate the man having the
largest number Of votes, as delegates,
and also to frame platform. Who "a
90 select the delegates to the National
Convention? Can a convention to dc
this make State platform before tht
National Convention has spoken?
What reason is there for primary
What 10 the object? Can any sensible
reason begiven why district primaries
such as suggested, with duly selected
delegates, fairly delegated conven
sion, ell selected on the same day
thus providing for an undisputed nom
inee, over whose nomination no dis
pute could arise thereafter, and for
party platform and straight party
fight, would not, in ell human proba
bility be more satisfactory than pri
mary supervised merely by q commit
tee, with no convention, no declaration
Of principles, no platform, no sstisfac
tory arbiter in case Of tie or dispute
80 10 the vote, and with the race Il
run over again with the people goinl
to the polls and voting again, thus in
volving two elections, in either o
which It wonld be difficult to get full
vote?
Merely calling for primary withou
giving reasons, and falsely asserting
that the people want It, ccnvinces no
body, deceives nobody and Statistic
nobody. A few interested partisan
actively soliciting can get enoug
nAmes 70 petition to do anything
provided, nobody Is taking the trOubl
. present : counteF-pstition. The pes
pls are Rol demanding . primary. Th