The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1912-01-25
STATE CONVENTION
CALLED TOO EARLY
J. T. COLEMAN TAKES POSITION
THAT COUNTY AND STATE CON-
MENTIONS BE POSTPONED

champions the cause Of democracy, |
and ptesuming that YOU will give the
party in the precincts some intorma-
ton I desire to ask:
When where and by whom was the |
idea conceived that Oklahoma'S del |
egation should go to the national con
ventiou uninstructed?
DO you know of any reason for iiN- |
ing the date for holdine the state con |
vention in Gebruary, four months be |
fore the national convention meets, !
and i'm tact before the wisest could
know who all will offer themselves
for the nomination for president and
vice president.
/ Can it be possible that a few men
| have compounded their ideas and con
cluded that they will force the party
to send an uninstructed delegation
by holding the state convention four
months preceding the national con
Ventiou. thereby enabling the adyo-
Gates of an minstructcd delegation to
argue or rather to defend their pos
ition, by saying to the democrats out
in the precincts, it is entirely too ear
lv to think of instructing our delega-
ton. II would not at this time he
practicable We can't tell what will
develop i'm these four months, that is
from the date of the state convention
in February till June 25th.
If it is a fact that February 22nd
will be too early for the party to in
tellieently instruct its delegation,
then why not postpone the holding of
the precinct, county and state con
vention until some time in the month
of May and give the democratic Vo-
ters of this state an opportunity to
take part in the selection of the can
didates who will champion the cause
of democracy in the coming campaign
for president and yice-president.
Is il democratic, sound democratic
doctrine for the executive committee,
to say to the rank and file of our par
ty thai. by the power and authority
in said committee reposed, (Which
power and authority comes from the
rank and file of the party) we, Your
committee etc call the state conyen-
tion to select delegates to the ma
tiOnal convention to meet at such a
time, four months before the nation
al comittee meets, as to preclude all
the members of the party from partic-
ipating or exercising their right of
choice, except the politicians.
Upon the advent of statehood, our
party adopted the slogan, Let the
People Rule" and by their votes in a
primary election say who, from the
office of United States Senator down
to constable. should represent and
serve the party officially.
Can we veil "let the people rule
when the organization of the party
so arranges the time for the precinct,
county and state conventions, as pre-
cude all the dear people from having
any part in the ruling, except the IA
vention.
Don't you think the action of the
executive committee, if carried out,
would have tendency to squirt a
little cold water on the nude enthu-
siasm of the recently advocated pre-
cinCt organization. What would a
: precinct organization amount to with
the politicians of the party saying
we don't need your advice and assist
ance out in the Lrecincts in the Sc
lection of candidates for president
and vice president of the United Sta
ties. of course it is all right if you
want constable out there in vOul
precinct to 90 to the polls at a pr
mary election which under the law
will be held for that purpose, cast
your vote for the man of your choice
but this matter of selecting candida
ties for president and vice president
OF the United States is OF supreme
importance to the dear people, so We
the politicians, will attend to that
for YOU.
Under these circumstances do you
believe that the democrats in halt
of the precincts of the state will hold
convention? They won't even write
letter to the county convention.
What could be accomplished by the
democrats in the precincts having a
convention? Absolutely nothing, I
answer for you.
The boys in my precinct are in ia
vor of calling the precinct, county
and state conventions off until some
time in May, then We can participate
inteligently in these conventions,
otherwise we feel that the rank and
file are disfranchised, ostracised and