The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1909-02-25


tors, county committees and delegates
to the state convention, shall be made,
and county officers also, unless the
county executive committees can find
some other illegal method to nomi-
nate.n
What is called by the act "run Off
or second primary, is to be had in all
cases where the candidate does not re-
ceive a majority of the popular vote,
excepting ward and district commit
teemen and delegates, who shall be de-
clared nominated if they receive the
highest number of the popular votes
cast.
There shall be two committeeman
from each ward aAd civil district, ire
spective of voting strength, which,
when elected, shall constitute the coun-
ty committees.
The congressional, judicial, senatori-
al and fioterial committees are to be
organized, not by nominations, but are
to be selected by the county committees
by the election of two members from
the county committees themselves, from
each county, who shall constitute the
respective committees mentioned.
There is nothing in the act to show
why the primary method of nominat-
ing these committees is abandoned.
Delegates to the state convention are to
be voted for at the primary on basis
of one for each 100 votes cast at the
last presidential election, and this pro-
vision involves in its practical opera
tion an absurdity amounting to almost
physical impossibility.
The voter is required by the act to
write or stamp the name of the dele
gates, and this must be from memory
alone, Of the various persons offering
for delegates.
The county of Davidson, under the
terms of this act, would be entitled to
eighty-three delegates, and there might
be an indefinite number of candates,
but the voter is compelled from memo
ry to write, paste or stamp the names
of the eighty-three he wishes to vote
for, and as the act applies all the pro-
visions of the "Dortch law" where
this law prevails, to the primary, the
voter would have but five minutes to
vote for candidates for Office, commit
teemen, and delegates, thus requiring
of him the performance of an impossi-
BILE task.
The result would be to absolutely de-
prive the man who could not write, of
his vote, and to make it so that the in
telligent voter could not exercise his
franchise, owing 10 the physical re-
quirements under which his vote is to
be cast.
What is true of Davidson county,
would be true of all counties where the
Dortch law prevails.
Why should county committees be
elected by a primary, and the other
committees be selected by the county
committees from their own member
ship? Is not this an invidious and un-
reasonable distinction?
, 1t will thus be seen that the law in
its very inception starts out vaguely,
!; making unreasonable exceptions, and
imposes limitations and conditions EN-,
barrassing to the voter and involving
the most sacred right of the franchise
After the voting and counting of bal
lots under the primary plan, the vari
Gus committees are then clothed with
= the power to decide whether under
, certain conditions, the names of sue
cessful candidates shall be placed or
the regular ticket at the general elec
ton.
Section 20 of the plan is as follows:
Be it further enacted, That any can
didate for primary nomination unde
this act who shall, to any person, pay
: give, or offer to pay or give, directly o.
indirectly, money or anything of val
ue, or who shall knowingly suffer any
: person to do SO, for the purpose of oh
tanning the vote or influence of an elec
tor in the primary, or obtaining hi
: vote or influence against an opposing
: candidate, shall be ineligible for
place on the official ballot to be uset
in the general election, under the law
g of the state
"Any person or opposing candidate
J of the same party, is horeby, after
nomination is made, invested with th
+ right to prefer before the particula
committee or body having the author
) ity under this act to canvass return
j. and count the primary vote, writer
/ specifications alleging that candidat
II has been guilty of violation of thi
II act.
"Upon preferment of said specifica
5 tions the particular committee or bod,
y having the jurisdiction conferred b,
} this act may, and is, invested with tn
power to do so, take proper steps to in
i vestigate and pass upon the specifica
tions preferred, and if the same ar
: established by such authority, and
e shall so declare, the name of the cand
a dvte shall not be placed on the officia
ballot to be used in the general electio
Is held underthes laws of the state; pr
I. vided, however, the specifications prt
&, ~ ..LhA E.'s~e -