The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1910-03-30
CANNON IS OUT-CLASSED
BY Chairman Price of the Democratic
state Executive Committee, who
Threatens to Refuse to Receive
Primary Election Returns
(Pen Sacola JOurnal)

In a circular letter issued to county
chairman and published elsewhere in
the Journal this morning, Chairman
W. H Price of the state democratic
executive committee makes the veiIed
threat that if county committees in
clude the Offices of circuit Judge and
state attorney on the primary ballots.
the state committee may refuse to
canvass the returns even on the other
candidates from such counties.
To reinforce his position, Chairman
Price quotes from the rules made by
the present state committee which
provide that on these ballots there
shall be printed only the names of
such candidates for office" etc, as
may be certified by the chairman of
the state and congressional commit
tees.
Has there ever been in Florida a
more arrogant assumption of author
ity than this by which the state com
mittee is now attempting to throttle
the desires of the democrats of this
state?
Not content with eliminating the of
fees of circuit judge and state attor-
ney from the primary far certi-
flying any returns for those offices are
concerned, Chairman Price now seeks
to dictate to the county committees on
| all the rest of the offices. Put these
| circuit judge and state attorney candf-
| dates names on the ballots" says he
! in effect, and we will not certify the
| returns any of the other candidates
which would otherwise be lawfully on
the ticket.
1t is readily conceded that the coun-
| " committees are bound to include on
ha ha ct al Of hn ,aI l,,,
! the state committee. 1t is admitted
! that the state committee has the right
| to say what offices the county commit =
j tees shall print on the ballot. but by
| what right does Chairman Price or
| the state committee assume to say
| that the county committees shall not
! take the sense of the democrats of the
| respective counties on any other office
| not named by the state committee?
! No previous state committee OF
| state chairman has ever attempted &c
| do that. No other state committee OIL
! state chairman has ever attempted tC
| dictate to the counties what they
| should do or should not do on ques-
! tionS not included in the state pri-
mary call. No other committee OF
chairman ever attempted to restric,
the action of the counties to only such
committee.
Chairman Price may be able to make
hi threat effective in some counties
but, unless we are greatly mistaken
he will not do in EScambia county
This county is going to take the sense
of the democrats of the county as Il
whom they want for circuit judge
These democrats are going to vote or
the question in the coming primary
The county committee is going to Ger
tify to Chairman Price the result o
the vote on the state offices named b.
> his committee. Neither he nor hi:
committee can prevent the count!
committee from taking either or boti
| of these actions
Now if Chairman Price maintains
J that his committee will not receive o
| certify the vote of this county, which
has been regularly certified up to hin
. by the Escambia county committee. h
! is assuming a position dangerous in
deed TO democratic policy and as un
| warranted and unusual as it is dan
gerous.