The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1910-03-29
PRICE ISSUES
LETTER TO THE
co. CHAIRMAN
Intimates That State Com
mittee May Throw Out
Certain Counties.
SAYS COUNTY COMMITTEES HAVE
NO FRIGHT TO INCLUDE NAMES
OF CANDIDATES FOR CIRCUIT
JUDGE AND STATE ATTORNEY
ON BALLOTS.

Mariana, March 2s.-Chairman W.
H. Price, Of the state democratic exec
utive committee, has issued the follow
ing circular letter to the chairmen of
the various county committees:
Chairman Prices Letter.
Dear Sir:
AS chairman of the state democratic
executive committee, I desire to call
your attention to the matter of the
ballots to be printed for the ensuing
primaries.
The state committee especially elm
mated from the primaries the offices
of circuit judge and state attorney in
the, respective judicial circuits OF the
state.
The power Of the state committee
to determine as TO taking the sense
of the electors Of the party as to any
state office is fixed by the statute,
Sec. 255, general statutes Of the
state
That the action of the state commit
tee was in accordance with statutory
law, there can be no question.
Under the law, the county commit
tee derives it's authority as to placing
the name of candidates upon the bal
lot for state offices from the state
the county committee has no power to
call primary for any state office, of
its own motion. The county commit
tee is only authorized to print on its
ballot such names Of candidates for
state offices or the United States SEN
ate as may be certified to it by the
chairman of the state democratic ex-
ecutive committee, under the authority
vested in him by the state committee.
Section 6, rules and regulations,
adopted by the state committee, pro-
vides:
"On said ballots shall be printed
only the names of such candidates for
Office, state and national, as may be
certified by the chairman of the state
executive committee and the chairman
Of the congressional committee ar
ranged in alphabetical order, and next
in order shall be printed the names of
the county candidates, and in such or
der as may be prescribed by the re-
spective county committees"
A ballot containing names thereon,
as candidates for a state office, or for
an Office not in the purview or intent
of the call made by the state commit
tee, is not in compliance with the pri-
mary law, or the call for the primary
itself, and is without party authority.
To place the names of circuit judges
or state attorneys therefore upon the
ballot, is in defiance of party law, and
imperils the entire primary for the
county in which such act is done, and
it is doubtful question, in such case,
as to whether or not the state commit
tee would have the right to canvass
the returns as to the candidates which
nj hn 10 uf1r hn
ticket.
II county committee lawfully can
place names of candidates for state Of
fees" on the ballot, contrary to call
made by the state committee, it would
have the authority to ignore absolute
ly the entire call made by that COM
mittee and refuse to place any name
on the ballot, which might be certified
by it. under party authority by the
chairman of that committee.
In other words, the state committee
would be useless and each county COM
mittee would be authorized to place
such names on the ballot for state Of
fees which would suit the individual
members OF that committee, and abso-
lutely ignore the certificate made to it
by the state committee.
In such event, the days of the pri-
mary would soon be numbered and
the welfare of the party placed in
great peril.
1 also desire to call your attention
to that portion of Section 6, Chapter
1929, acts of 1909, which provides as
follows: There shall be printed on
said tickets Immediately below the
caption perforated fac smile OF the
chairman of the state executive COM
mittee." This provision appears to be
mandatory.
Arrangements in each county should
be made to provide a copy Of the sig
nature of the chairman, and to have a
steel die made thereof so as to comply
with this statute in printing the bal
lot. A failure to do so might invali-
date the election in your county.
Requesting your careful considera-
ton, as we'll as the consideration of
the committee of which you are chair
man. to the above suggestions, am
Very respectfully,
WILL H. PRICE,
Chairman State Democratic Elk. Com.