Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-07-19
CONFUSION WORSE COMPOUNDED

Halls explanation committees rule for
rating couny vote in the coming primary 1t was our purpose
that the Democrats of Georgia. whose political welfare this rule
would vitality affect should have opportunity of understand
ing it, possible and of Judging it in all fairness has never
been partisan spirit for partisan ends that have crt
cised this rule We have been convinced however that was
riddle people, would breed endless confusion
ties where might be applied and that its was
arbitrary unauthorized and indeed voatve of the pars ecog
nized law.
careful reading of Chairman Halls abOriOus explanation
doub conviction In doing his utmost to clear
and defend the committees proposition the chairman has only
estab Gshed these three facts:
First that the confusing and impracticable.
Third that contrary the existing law OF the party and
and void
for all of facts believe that the state
ecutve committee should abolish this perpeng and
needless rule
Let us consider the confusion and illegaity of
this plan which the committee has contrved for
settling in those counties where candidate
ceive a majority vote in the regular primary
We submit the that rule which demands from its
author an explanation filing five newspaper columns is not Prt
uay clear Mr. Hall is naturally given and lucid
preston required five columns explain statement
which itself about fourteen lines length What would the
committee chairman think in riding through country he
way particular courthouse and the
farmer should take three hours explaining the route Most
probably would lost if he tried follow such d
rectons that substantially what he himself has done for
the citizens of Georgia trying point them the to this pro-
rating rule
Consider of the specific examples which Mr.
Hall cites in order that he may illuminate his explanation He
that 1900 votes poed the primary of Troup
county candidate receiving TAI candidate receiving 635
candidate AS This county entitled four
votes the state convention According to Mr. Hall rule there
FORE to divide the total 8OO votes by TO- thus deriving
bring complications which appa the charman math
emaca genius and for the sake of convenience he adds
other half makes his multiple whole number 49, This he
explains represents oneouh OF vote lie next pro-
ceeds divide candidates by 49, The quotiens thus
obtained will show how Ourths vote each candidate
performing this interesting calculation
find says Mr. Hail. "a would be entitled to ourths
of six mutpes eve quoting Mr. Hall precisely B would
be entitled veourth and oneourth votes in the
convention with u in excess of five mutpes would be en-
titled of vote in the convention with 80 votes
in of three -mutipes"
And fo tho of cha mans
example,
to the But r S a @ S s T5sp o f has SGi
Of vote in the convention unappe AS lacks the smallest number of
votes of having enough to enn him additional m of S HGts
N
county, WY MSsn not @ al that the p
comes that should not have nsnf for his
vote additional in the OTysa9H WE e99f PG9n c s f
of The other OpefDgrn should be equally
ytvo votes in Of n
is THERE ANYTHING PUzzLING ABOUT THIsY Mr. Hall
band inquiries We shall leave the voters themselves to the
of the primaries and the members of the
county committees to Do the county
of dividing quarters and then into
eighhs after has wrestled with mup units and whanotf
The truth Mr. Halls ingenious discussion about clear
that of the medieval philosophers when they debated holly
how angels could perch at one time on the point q
needle.
plain Democrats of truly wondrous and mystical affair
like the winding palace of old Kuba Kahn
IN : xsnpSq pleasure GS KgO dom 1a decree
Th es N ca1erns rn eS s' to man.
Such rule would lead to the utmost confusion to protests
contests pickering, strife and endless dissatisfaction.
Not only however, confusing but it also arbitrary and
the example of Troup cited by Mr. Hail.
shown that arbitrarily he dropped the fraction onehaf solely to
decimas He designs make the fractions thus
dropped adding the candidates convention votes all the
unapped fourthS of Pursuing this practice another
ample candidate he suppose 100
popular oneOurh and by doing makes his
venon equal that of rival candidate who had received
900 popular votes.
Think of this panthe candidate for whom the
people 900 ballots gets votes in the convention than
the the people only 100 ballots Yet Mr. Hall
his rule carries the popular vote exactly The fact IS he
his all without being arbitrary and frequently
retains decimal fractOnsand completely logical
application rule would hishe is lost of
If he discards the fractions arbitrarily point he
add them arbitrarily another Are the people willing that
should thus be patched up and tempered with by
committee? That S the whole question.
We said the that this rule not only confusing