The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1911-05-26
THE NEW PRIMARY LAW.

Attorney General Stratus has about com.
lpleted his instructions bearing on the
State Primary Election law, and these he
will have in shape to present to the Dem
ocratic State Central Committee when
that body convenes says. the Baltimore
American. At the same time he will en-
deavor' to explain some of the knotty
provisions which require Analysing and
concerning which questions will be asked,
The information thus furnished will be
supplementary to the general instructions.
Should the Republican committee desire
him to appear before that body, he said
he would be pleased to do so, and in his
official capacity throw all possible light
on those provisions not clearly under
stood.
The one most important provision in
which both political organizations are in
terested is that relating to the formation
of the governing bodies.
Heretofore the Democrats have elected
their state central committees in conven-
ton, and since the adjustment of the city
committee the city members of the state
central committee have managed the cam
paigns here, just as have the county mem
bers exercised jurisdiction in their re-
spective counties. The Republicans here
have always elected their members of the
state committee in the wards which they
represent, and these also serve as cityi
committeeman in charge of local
campaigns.
The Lee primary law draws distinc-
ton between local committees and state
committee. 1t makes mandatory the
election of any committee which has local
supervision, and permits the state conven-
ton to name the governing body for the
entire state.
The Attorney General slys:-My judge
ment is that the law clearly provides that
committees, whose duties are limited to
the localities they represent, must be cleo
ted by the voters. A Safeguarding
body. that is one composed of men repre-
senting the entire state and acting as a
whole for all the counties and the city of
Baltimore. may be elected by the state
convention. But it must confine itself to
state work and cannot delegate to COM
mittees from its own membership. the
authority to manage any local fight.
If either party is prepared to have its
affairs managed by state body made up
of the entire membership. it may do so,
but when any part of it is credited to
county or legislative district, as at
present. and exercises jurisdiction in its
territory, then the law insists upon an
election by the voters.
4 The Democratic State Central Commit
tee for Baltimore city elected by the state
convention in 1909 for two years cannot
continue in its present form unless elected
in the primaries. As have stated, only
controlling body taken from the state at
large and which may be made up of 10 or
200 members could be chosen in conven-
ton and assume charge of every election.
The Republicans, too, must elect their
safe committees unless they are prepared
to have central body in absolute CONTROL,
This applies to the counties as we'll as to
the city.
If the state convention chooses to name
the same men elected in the primaries as
the state committeeman. it may do SO or
different persons may be named, but they
are two different bodies under the law.