The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1908-06-19
THE PRIMARY RULES.

Anent questions as to the primary
rules adopted by the State Com
Mlttee. 1t seems that couven-
Slon was called in May, 1905, and
q primary was called to nominate
legislative candidates. A resolu-
sion was adopted saying it would
be we'll to let Houston County
have the ffoater a second time.
Captain Largent was the Houston
County candidate.
Later Mr.. Whitfield of Mont
gomery County announced hisean-
didacy for foater. The county
committee held that Largent had
been nominated by the convention
tAld refused to put the name Of
either Largent or Whitfield on the
ballot at the August primary.
Immediately after the primary
Whitfield announced himself as a,
candidate for foater at the Novem-
ber election. A few days before
the election the chairman Of the
county committees and less than a
dozen men helda Join meeting aud
declared Largent the nominee for
aoater. The Democratic voters
paid no attention to this action,
and Whitfield carried his county
by over 200 majority. Largent
carried Houston by slightly lar
ger majority aud was elected.
Whitfield was the temperance
candidate in 1906iand Largentwas
supposed to represents the whisky
interests. Whitfield is the regu-
lar Democratic nominee for fOater
Ghis year. Now it is asserted by
some Of Patterson's followers in,
those counties that no man who
v&ted for Whitfield in 1906 can
vote in the primary of June 27..
Lf this be true, it would rob Car
mack of more than half Of the
votes Of Montgomery County. The
Patterson leaders are mum about
it. 10 the question:. ."What shall,
be done about it2" the Sentinel
1yss
an intolerable conditions. Hit does not
tilen Democratic government is afallure.
Certainly these Democrats OF Mont
aomery County are entitled to their bal
lots in the coming primary. Any rule
which has for its effect the disfranchise-
ment OF over half the Democrats of that
county is, on its face, an outrageous and
;naefensible rule. 1t is not Democratic,
and if it is enforced it would throw Ten
hessee very soon into the Republican
QUINN.
pThe Democrats Of Montgomery Coun-
tv who voted for Whitfield do not feel
that they were voting. for an independ-
emf candidate The fact that Hr. Whit
Seld has just been nominated Tor hoater
shows that his course was thoroughly
approved by his party.
The rules concocted by tie State Com
mittee at Nashville We're gotten up in
order to disfranehise Democrats. They
.yare especially aimed to exclude over
half the Democrats Of Shelby County,
an3tin erder that the fullest influence Of
thaf steal might be secme ed the county
nnit system was devised.
n was also intended to exclude from
the primary those Democrats who voted
tor Mcclure for Railroad Commissioner
Rnt-tbis will fail, because there was no
oonvention nominee against him. NO
doubt the conditions in Montgomery
Comfy were also in view
II tl,e. Democrats there organize and
% 10 the polls demanding the ballotto
,yhicl, they are entitled, in snch manner
thatNhey can not be refused, they Will
onlybe exercising their rights.
Il Knox County il those outrageous
a,i,oary rules are enforced they will Ids
traochise at least 900 Patterson voters.
- the election in this county in Novem-
s.sr 1906. a large number OF so-called1
aemocrats refused to vote Ion hon n.
Nj Foster and Hon. James II. Welcken
nu,asa oent4emen made their races as
a,,tspoken advocates OF temperance.
,s,hay IN that way incurred the enmIty
Who are now supporting Gov