The Stanford interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1911-1912, 1911-05-19
A SNAP CONVENTION

The Democratic State Central Com
mittee, by a majority of one, assum
ed Jurisdiction to settle the deadlocR
in the Second District Railroad Com
mittee and ordered a convention &c
nominate a candidate for Railroad
Commissioner in this district. TINS
action was taken in the teeth OF
Rule % of the party law which pro
vides that a tie in district committees
shall be certified to and settled by
that member of the State Central com.
mittee having the greatest number
of counties in the district in which
the question arises.
This action of the Central Commit
tee was a rank usurpation of power.
1t had no authority to act in this
matter at all, and least of all. did
It have jurisdiction to either repeal
las it attempted to do) or ignore
Rule q which was adopted by the
State Convention at Lexington in
1908. That convention did not dele
gate to the Central Committee the
power to repeal the rules which it had
adopted.
Unquestionably the democrats OF
this district embracing 30 counties,
favored a primary election, and not a
convention, to nominate a candidate
for the Railroad Commissionership.
The state primary is to be held on
July /. Billy Klair. Of Lexington, who
is a candidate, favored a convention
to be held June IA. The other can
didate at the meeting OF the commit
tee, Mr.. Beard. of Shelby county, de-
sired a primary on July LIST. By
majority OF one the Central Commit
tee arbitrarily gave Mr.. Klair what
he wanted. This action of the conf
mittee smacks OF unfairness and
bears the semblance of favoritism.
But not only was it unfair to order
this convention instead Of primary,
fixed for holding county conventions
to appoint delegates to the district
convention is In violation of prece-
dents which have prevailed time out
o. mind. The rule has always been
to hold county conventions on the
Saturday preceding state or district
conventions. But the committee in
this instance in violation of that rule
and custom called the county conven-
tons for Monday. June IL.
1t is a well known fact that Mr..
Klair relies on Lexington and Louis
vile for nomination. In these cities
one day will suit ward politicians as
well as another, in the 80 remain
ing counties, 1t is well known that
the people in the country. busily en-
gagged on their farms, generally go to
the county seat towns on Saturday,
not Mondays unless it is a county
court day. This designation Of Mon
day, and not Saturday, whether in
tended so or not, VIII result greatly /:
N favor OF the candidate who relies I
IN the city vote, anG Will be distinct {
y hurtful to the candidate, or can-
iidates who rely on the vote of the
armers. 7
On the face of things, this looks I,
ike a snap convention, designed by Is
for the purpose of forcing q
he nomination of Mr.. Klair on the
district We have republican MEM n
yer of the Railroad Commission from h
his district now. Those who have n
allied this convention and fixed the n
lime for the county meetings, have h
hereby in effect dislranohised large :"
lumber of the country people and s.
eed not be surprised II the benefi-
larry of this arrangement should be I
ominated, to see another republican
elected. Democratic a
and democrats should q
cal fairly in these matters. if We are A
D succeed in this contest Sharp prac- ii
ices ana machine methods viii not y,
G tolerated. ;,