Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-01-30
DEMOCRATIC .
C0MM|ITtf|N IN
SESSION TODAY
Two Convention Cities and
Primary Question to be
Considered at Meeting in
Des Moines.

DeS MONIES, Jan. 29.-Ine Demo
cratic state convention to select dele
gates to the national convention at
Baltimore, will be held May 8 at a city
yet to be named. The second con-
yention to nominate state officers will
be held July 25. the convention city
also to be named.
NJ. F. Healy Of Fort Dodge, was
chosen temporary chairman of the
first and " R. McGinnis of Leon,
temporary chairman Of the second con-
vention. Convention cities are to be
named this afternoon.
The committee turned down the pri-
mary election for delegates proposi-
tion of the national committee, leav-
ing the matter to the various county
organizations.
This afternoons session is being de-
voted by the members of the state
committee to the selection Of conven.
tion cities. Indications were that
Council Bluffs would get the first con.
vention and Burlington the second.
In addition to temporary chairman
the committee chose the following OF.
fcers:
First convention-Temporary secre-
tarles, Fred Dirmann, Of Decorah, and
Fred May of Davenport: reading clerk
John Gillespie of Waterloo and J. f.
Golden of Creston; head doorkeeper,
M. p. Kennedy of Des Moines; SER
geant at arms, M. Flavey, Oskaloosa.
Second convention-Temporary sec
retary, John Holland, Des Moines;
reading clerk, Hugh Stuart, Dubuque,
and H. A. Cook of Wright county; SER
geant at arms, John Beatty, Keoknk
1t was understood that before the
meeting was called to order that a
majority of the committeeman were In
favor OF county primary plan for
the selections Of delegates to the state
tc0Ayenticnsa and an expression for a
presidential candidate. That the par.
'agraph in the national call regarding
the holding of presidential primaries
by the several states would be en-
dorsed, was the belief of members of
the committee early today Since
Iowa has no law regarding presiden-
tial primaries, the committee was ex-
pected to leave 1t optional with the
counties and suggest the method for
conducting the primary
Primary Plan Suggested.
/. T.. Jones of Des Moines suggested
one plan which was to be seriously
considered by the committee. It was
that each county chairman call his
committeeman together and vote upon
the question of holding primary. II
the vote Is favorable, the committee
shall fix time and place for holding
the primary. Each voter in the county
shall be given two ballots, one of
which is for the naming Of a choice
for president, and the other to vote
for a delegate. The delesates votes
are to be counted Immediately, but the
ballots naming the presidential
choice are to be kept sealed until the
county convention, at which time they
shall be counted. Unless II of the
counties of the state hold such pri-
maries, the delegates are not to be
bound to vote for the presidential can
didate that receives majority Of the
preference votes.
Sentiment among the democrats be-
fore the meeting seemed to be almost
equally divided between Champ
Clark and Gov. Woodrow Wilson for
president.
Council Bluffs Wants Convention.
Council Bluffs, jan 29-J. J. Hughes
a member of the democratic state
committee, is today attending the
meeting in Des Moines, prepared to
offer anything reasonable as a, means
of securing one of the democratic
state conventions for this city.