Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1908-12-09
IMPRACTICABLE, SAYS JONES.
State Chairman Says Another Pri-
mary is Out Of the Question.

Columbia, Dec. 2.-Gen. Willie
Jones, State Democratic chairman,
thinks that the suggestion to eject
delegates to the National Convention
in a primary is impracticable and TOO
expensive. He is in favor the the
primary system, but he does not
think it can be well applied to the
election Of delegates to the National
Democratic Convention.
I'VE would have to hold this pri-
mary in May or June" said Gen.
Jones, "as the National Convention
could not possibly select the nomi-
nees for State officers at that time.
, 1t would be too far ahead Of the cleo
ton, and would not give any time
for campaign. AS result, in the
Presidential election years, we would
have to have two primaries, one in
June to elect delegates to the Ma
tional Convention, and one in August
for the purpose of electing State Off
GERS.
Now the expenses OF the primary
In August are paid out of the funds
raised by the assessments on the
candidates, but how would you pay
the expenses of the primary in June?
No man is going to be willing to be
assessed for the honor of being q
delegate to the National Convention,
because It costs every delegate a good
deal to make the trip anyway. 1t
would not be fair to assess this eX-
penSe on the candidates for State
officers. | do not see how we would
raise the money. The State Con-
vention, as we now have it, costs the
party practically nothing.
1T costs a good deal to conduct
a primary in this State now" con-
tinued Mr.. Jones. "In most OF the
counties the managers of election are
paid 81 or 50 a day each, and in the
counties like Spartanburg, Orange
burg, and some others, where there
are fifty or more precincts, the pay
OF managers alone, for the first and
second primaries, amounts to over
$500. This expense is paid by the
county committees. In addition the
expense Of the State committee in
getting in the returns and holding
the meetings. before and after the
primary amounts to several thousand
dollars each election year, and tell
you the expenses amount up to fig
ureS that would surprise those who
are not familiar with them. This
year we just had small amount left
over because of the extra expense of
getting the returns during the flood.
"lf there were a primary for dele
gates, the managers would have to
be paid, perhaps for two primaries,
and the State committee would have
to meet and decide contests and de-
clare the results, and 1t would cost
good deal of money. Who would
pay for it,"
perhaps Mr.. Bryan would be will
ing to stand the expense" suggested
the impertinent reporter, but Gen.
Jones only smiled.
The cost of conducting a primary
election in this State under the pres
ent system is about SIS, 900. There
are, in round numbers, over one
thousand precincts. and with three
managers to each precinct, at two
dollars day each, the pay OF man
ayers alone amounts to $4,000 or
more. The printing Of tickets for
one primary amounts to six or seven
hundred dollars. The expenses of
committee meetings, securing and
tabulating returns, and other such
items, have to be counted in. If
second primary is held the expense Is
practically doubled. AS already
stated the greater part of this eX-
pense II borne by the county organi-
cations, which assess the candidates
amounts sufficient to meet these ex-
penses.