The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1909-12-10

After being deadlocked for more
than three hours the opposition to a
wide open primary for Judicial officers
surrendered in the Democratic Com
mittee Wednesday afternoon and the
original plan without any restriction
upon the voters was adopted. The
committee had stood three to three on
this question for hours and neither
side gave any evidence of yielding I'M
til an informal recess was taken and
two of the candidates, Frierson and
Turner, announced that they would
make no further objection to the
wide open affair.
| In so far as the action OF the COM
mittee has a political aspect it was a
victory for the Peebles-McLaurine in
terests and particularly for PEBBLES,
for the plan as finally adopted was
the plan in substance that he had him
self drafted and submitted to members
of the committee before they con-
vened. The one and only important
change made in the plan proposed by
Mr.. PEBBLES and that as adopted by
the committee was the method for the
selection of the officers of the election.
AS originally proposed the officers
were to be named by subcommittee
of three as adopted the of1cers In
the several counties are to be named
by the member of the committee from
the county.
There was smooth sailing in the
committee until the question OF the
restrictions to be imposed upon the
voters was reached Mr.. Smiser Of
fered plan providing for primary I'M
der the provisions of the act OF 1901;
that is that the Dortch and reglstra-
tion laws be used in all the districts
where those laws would apply in the
general election. 1t was provided
that poll tax receipt should not De
nre-reouisite for the reason that IN
der the act of 1901 poll tax receipts
are not required. In all other re-
spects. however, the election was TO
. he conducted just as legal election
would be.
: immediately Mr.. Smiser offered TINS
plan opposition from the members
from Hickman, Lewis and Giles, all
of whom were uncompromising FOR the
wide omen affair without any OF the
legal restrictions thrown around 1t
The members from Wayne and Law
renee not only favored the SmiseI
n,an hut they went further and de-
> ,,anded that the payment of poll taxes
: no made a prerequisite for the cast
ing of ballots in the primary
Matters stood in this shape Tor se'
), eral hours; Maury county for lesa
primary under the act OF 1901; Law
~o,oa or1 Wayne counties for pol
,+ox registration and Dortch provls
ions. Giles, Lewis and Hickman lo'
the wide open Patterson AFFAIR OF ."s
wears ago The matter was tnresne'
over nro and con. The candidates
smoke and still the committee was 'ie'
up.
Mr. PEBBLES declared that he wanted
an uniform plan; that because TN
three by seven ballot without reglstra
: ton was used in majority OF III
: counties he preferred that 1t be uSe'
,r all He stood for the plan as ma
8 " adopted. This was substantiaii'
the position of Mr.. McLaurine'
Turner and Frierson neither desire'
the poll tax provision, preferring Una
the law of 1901 be followed MI
s. Erierson believed that the prlmar
v. sbou,d he hedged about ana sale
ID Guarded by all of the provisions OF IN
al law which apply in general elec''on'
70 FINALLY after three hours or taiK an
r eating and various offers OF compr'
In m,sa had been made by the legai pr
e. mary crowd and turned down oy III
lie wide omen faction an informai re'es
n noe taken and the candidates an
hore of the committee retired 10
conference ,oorc,
A. the conclusion of the conference
ohort O'Clock, Messrs Turner an
v Erierson both addressed the comm
80 IN substance they expressed TN
~ homo that the committee would g
Of .oaotber and in the interests OF ia
IA, mony adopt plan. Mr.. Firerson S "a,
~ NV. ",o 80 would be willing to have tn
be oonmittee adopt the wide open pa
be - the interest Of harmony He wante
I'll a legal primary but would not De wa
TO- 70 have the committee dead locke
and blocked because of his sentiment