The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1910-10-28
INSURGENTS CALL
STATE PRIMARY
To Nominate Candidates for u.
S. Senator-The Dates Jan.
10th and 31st.
Hon. Fred. T. Myers Voices Protest
Against Irregular Committee
Meeting.

Against Irregular Committee
Meeting.
AT an irregular meeting of majority
of the members OF the State Democratic
Executive Committee held in Jackson
sonville last Tuesday, resolutions were
adopted naming January 10th, 1911, as
the date for holding the first primary for
the nomination of United States Sena-
tor. The second primary, If needed,
was called for January 31st.
The resolution calling for the primary
was offered by Committeeman r. H.
Rowe of Madison county.
Another resolution offered by Com
mitteeman Watson of Orange county
making all white democrats who are
qualified to vote in the November gen
eral election, eligible to vote in the COM
ing primary without additional poll tax
payments, was adopted.
This meeting of the committee was
undoubtedly irregularly called and was
in its majority an insurgent gathering of
men who had been surcharged with the
Jacksonville Idea" of gaining advan
tage for a certain candidate for U. S.
Senator from that city. The meeting
was called by Mr.. P. A. Dignan, men,
ber of the committee from Duval coun-
ty, and who, when the members were
assembled, took il upon himself TO call
the meeting to order After outlining
the work for which the meeting had
been called, Mr.. Dignan made the sug
geStion that Chairman Price be rendered
the chair, a suggestion which prevailed.
Mr.. Price accepted the gavel. Had he
refused TO do so the Jacksonville Idea"
was to go on without him. On taking
the chair Chairman Price said:
"He came to Jacksonville firmly de-
termined to take no part in the proceed
ings, but for the sake of harmony in the
party he yielded"
Hon. Fred. T. Myers of Tallahassee
made an eloquent speech deriding the
manner in which the meeting had been
called. He said:
"ThiS meeting, consider, has been
called irregularly, and we could not
criticise the Legislature, should that body
decide not to be bound by the result of
the primary which comes as an after
math of this meeting. enter my pro-
test against the committeeman calling
this meeting, which was evidently done
for personal reasons. move" said he,
ian indefinite postponement. We must
recognize the authority vested in the
chairman"
Mr. Dignan, the mouthpiece of the
Jacksonville Idea" was up in an instant.
He said that ''any member of the COM
mittee had right to call the committee
together If majority OF the committee
would go with him."
Hon. w. A. Hooker of Marion county
then obtained the floor. He said that
he would take issue with Mr.. Dignan on
the right of an individual member of the
committee having authority TO call the
committee together, just because he
wanted to. He said, however, that he
was not there to vindicate anyone, He
deplored any misunderstanding which
might have occurred as consequence
of the irregular manner in which the
committee had been assembled, and alb
solved Chairman Price from all blame,
believing that he had acted with all
proper precaution which his position
demanded He said that as the meeting
was regularly assembled, with Chairman
Price presiding, he saw no reason why
the committee should not call the pri-
mary, and he hoped that the motion Of
fered by Mr.. Rowe would prevail.
Fred. T. Myers of Tallahassee again
took the floor and said: 81 am willing
Internationally to agree to the dates
proposed for the primary, but want to
reiterate that believe that this commit
tee is illegally assembled. There are
twenty-five members absent and | be-
leve that some consideration is due to
those who are not here. They have not
been duly, regularly or legally notified
of this meeting, and want to protest TO
the last"
|. J. Mccall of Hamilton said he did
not believe the legislature would feel
that it was bound TO recognize an cleo.
ton held under present conditions, II
only one-half the counties participated.
| He thought the committee should stand
by the official call of the chair.
Chairman Price again took the floor
and implored the committee TO go slow.
He said the entire western portion OF
the state is not represented at this meet
ing and great many of the counties in
South Florida are also without repre-
Sentation.
A vote was then taken on Mr.. Rowe's
resolution calling the primary and it was
carried by good majority, thus making
the victory of the Jacksonville Idea"
complete.
Several prominent Palatka politicians
have been interviewed by the News
with purpose of getting their views on
this inSurgent gathering.
One gentleman who has been perhaps
the oldest political friend in this county
of the late Gov. Broward, has expressed
in the most emphatic terms fhiS disgust
at.the haste of certain Jacksonville poll
ticianS in agreeing upon his successor
even before his body was laid in the
grave, and at this Jacksonville meeting
of the committee as part OF scheme 10
gain an advantage for their candidate.
The influential men of this city, in
cluding Mr.. F. ]. Fearnside, fhe Putnam
county executive committeeman, are
disguised with the whole insurgent
movement.
Judge E. Noble Calhoun attended the
meeting as a proxy of Mr.. Fearnside,
but did not vote. Chairman Price and