The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1912-02-22
nlEOE DELEGATES By PRIMARY.

4
The letter Of Senator Harris callinl
upon Chairman Wright Of the Stat
Committee to provide for the election
Iof presidential delegates by primary i
exactly on the right line The article
appeared in the Savannah Press yes
terday afternoon.
Just how the details win be worked
out we cannot predict right now, but
this movement is necessary in order tc
carry out the wishes Of the people.
Heretofore delegates to the national
convention have ben appointed by
state conventions in Atlanta. These
conventions have sometimes been made
up Of machine politicians and Office
seekers, many Of whom desire to be
district attorneys and revenue collec-
tors, and some of whom are bent upon
turning trick for their own benefit.
When the state convention met in May,
1889, the people were overwhelmingly
for Cleveland But the politicians man
aged to manipulate the delegations so
that the actual vote Of Georgia cast in
that convention was divided, David B.
Hill getting large number in face Of
the plain wishes of the people.
Now this year when the state com
mittee met determined effort was
made to have presidential primary in
Georgia. At the first meeting in oc-
tober that idea was voted down. Fin
ally the committee in December came
to this plan and provided for a presi-
Dental primary this spring. Every
thinge except the details Of the pri-
mary has been arranged. Georgia is
to have for the first time an emporium
ity to express her choice for President
Of the United States. The people desire
to vote so that the local influence Of
each county and the practical politi
clans might not intervene and virtually
nullify their expressed will at the polls.
For instance, the people Of Georgia
might vote for Woodrow Wilson for
President. The indications are that
they will do that. Then the county
committees might send men to Atlanta
for the election Of national delegates
who might be lukewarm Wilson men Of
no Wilson men at all. To send such
delegation to Baltimore would be I'm
bearable. The people want men they
can depend upon. They don't want
Harmon men in the guise of Wilson
men. And they are not going to have
it. When the state enters it's verdict
and registers its residential preference
the state executive committee will take
good care to see that the delegates fol
low out their instructions.
For as the county primary has long
ago supplanted ring rule and packed
conventions, so the presidential primary
is designed to give the people full
right to express their choice, and this
expression should be protected and en-
forced.
It might be that Wilson Men who
are sent there would see that some
other man was more available Such
being the case they would have the in
telligence and the discretion, Of course,
to act according to the best interest Of
their party and their state. But it will
be the first duty Of the state executive
committee in providing for the PR
mary to see that the will Of the people
is carried out to its fullest logical con
clusion.
That is the reason The Savannah
Press favors the general plan advanced
by Senator Harris, Of voicing presiden-
tial preference and electing delegates
by primary. Savannah Press.