The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1910-04-08
REESE SOUNDS
WARNING NOTE
TO THE MASSES
STAND OF JOURNAL
REGARDING THE PRIMARIES
QUESTION OF RETURNING TO
CONVENTION PLAN TO BE
VOTED UPON MAY 10.

Pensacola. Fla, April Z, 1910.
Editor Pensacola Journal.
| heartily endorse the stand you
have taken against abolishing the
primary system of nominating candi-
dates for United States senate, repre-
sentatives to congress and all state
and county officers, including circuit
judges and state attorneys.
On May 10th, when the primary is
held, the electors of the state will
be called upon to vote on the question
of whether We shall return to the
system of nominating our state and
county officers and candidates for rep
resentatives to congress by conven-
ton.
If the primary is voted out and the
convention is voted in, we necessari-
ly abolish the primary in every
sense, and there will remain no way
to secure an expression of the will of
the people as to candidates for the
United States senate; for as under
the old system these Offices will have
10 be filled by the legislature without
an expression of a choice from the
electors of the state.
This feature alone-of the possibili-
ty of a return to the disgraceful prac-
tees, and the long legislative seS.
sions excluding consideration of other
businesses, in those states where the
legislature elects senator without
an expression of a choice from the
people-should be argument enough
to assure defeat of the proposed re-
turn to the convention system.
People Are Awake.
The people are awake, and I do
not think need more than a reminder
that eternal vigilance is the price of
liberty" Just as this truth is applied
to political and governmental affairs
in the past, it is likewise an automatic
truth applicable to the same affairs
of our own day and time, and that it
will continue so to the end no one
doubts or questions.
Then let the voters of the state of
Florida awake to the danger Jnat now
menaces their liberties.
Destroy the primary and substitute
the convention with its consequent
corrupt practices. and our state will
have gone backward fifty years.
Democratic government finds its full
est expression, when all the people
are consulted in matters pertaining
to the government. Under our sys-
tenn it is not possible for the people
as a whole to participate directly in
making, executing or administering
the laws under which we live; these
powers are delegated to those who
are a part of. unit in the compact;
we employ certain of our fellow citi-
zens to represent us, and commits
sion them to perform these duties
How shall We hire these men; how
shall we select these agents: shalt
we continue the method OF the pri-
mary. by which each white Demo
cratic elector of the state participates
in the selectio nof these officers, these
public servants. or are we going to
again turn over these privileges to
a set of professional politicians repre-
senting special interests?
This attempt to invade the liberties
of the people will fail, as it should.
The people are, l believe, fully alive
to the Importance of going to the
polls and voting down this convention
proposal.
About Circuit Judges.
A word about these Offices. the cir
cult judges and state attorneys, which
the state Democratic committee have
ordered taken out of the primary
It is important TO understand what
these two offices mean to the people.
Take the General Statutes of Florida
and you viii find that the circuit
iudge il mora imnart2-nt aud nearer