Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-03-01
THE PRESIDENTIAL. PRIMARY

THE PRESIDENTIAL. PRIMARY
There viii be a direct primary in Georgia this
year for the purpose OF giving the people an oppor
tunity to express their choice for president.
This vii be the first presidential primary held in
this state Georgia has adopted the plan OF direct
vote by the people instead Of leaving the question OF
choice to a convention In this we are in complete
harmony with number Of other states and the fact
that we have gotten away from the old convention
idea marks a distinct progressive step in the man-
agement Of our political affairs. Heretofore the
question has been largely left to state conventions
These conventions have generally been MADE up OF
delegates selected by socalied meetings in the
various counties Of the state. These mass meeting
have always been subject to the charge OF being
MANIPULATED by political influences and packed In
favor OF candidates whom the leaders preferred The
people as whole, have had too little voice either IN
the selection Of delegates the state convention or
in shaping the policy OF such state conventions with
respect to the nomination of the candidate Tor
president.
This year they are to vote directly upon the can
dda.es and therefore the result of the primary will
speak the choice Of the people Of this state Suppos'
ing for example, that Wilson, Clark, Harmon and
Underwood are candidates for the Democratic nomina
ton; the vote in the primary viii be directly Tor
whichever candidate the voter may prefer, and the
delegation that viii go from Georgia to the National
convention at Baltimore viii go instructed to vote
OF the people Of this state.
There will thus be opportunity for manipula-
ton by those with selfish purposes in view nor viii
there be any occasion for the usual trading that
ssAzssen the choice Of delegation and candidate
is left to a state convention
No fairer method Of getting-at the choice of the
people could possibly be devised than the direct
presidential primary 1t simply that the voters
of the state viii cast their ballots for the men Of
their choice for the Democratic nomination and the
delegates that go from Georgia will be instructed
as to how they should cast the vote of this state
Since the plan is somewhat new, the manner Of
selecting the delegation the National convention is
one Of great Importance There are several ways in
which this be done
First: a ticket for delegates to the National
convention can be voted for the ticket with
each Of the presidential candidates; that is to
there can be delegation favorable to Wilson on the
Wilson ticket; delegation favorable to Harmon on
that ticket for each OF the others their respec
tive tickets voting for the presidential candi-
date the voter will the time cast his ballot
for the delegation to the National convention favor
able to his candidate This would make unnecessary
the holding of a convention such as has usually
been held for the reason that the voters would thus
have directly named the delegation.
Second: 4 state convention can be held composed
OF delegates from each county in the state chosen
from among the friends Of the successful candidate in
elect delegation to the National convention. This,
Of course contempates convention for that purpose
and would probably be separate from the regular state
convention which will nominate the candidates for
the state Offices such governor Such plan would
require the delegates the state convention to be ap
pointed by the county executive committee in each
county from among the wellknown supporters OF the
successful candidate for the nomination in the
pectiye counties.
Third: It would seem to be needless when the
people vote directly upon the presidential candidate
to hold a convention. We have likewise heard some
objection TO the first plan, to wit: that Of the people
voting directly for the delegates to the National
vention To the objections to both the sugges-
ton has been made that there be names on the
tickets in the presidential primary except the
Of those who are candidates for the nomination. and
that the successful candidate in the primary shall
have the privilege through designated friends Of
naming the delegation to the National convention
from each congressional district, from among the
friends OF the successful candidate The delegates
thus selected would necessarily be under the same
restrictions citizenship in the district If they
we're named By the convention and in all other
respects would conform to the usual practice in max
ing such selections, the only change being that the
successful candidate through his designated friends
in the state would select the delegation to the Ma
tonaI convention. instead Of having them voted for
directly by the people selected by the county executive
committees.
These are the three plans that have been the sub
iect Of discussion, at least to limited extent, by
friends OF the respective candidates in different Sec
lions Of Georgia. At this writing The Journal has
no preference for either and expresses none. We
merely submit for consideration the three plans by
which the same result can probably be reached Let
as repeat them briefly:
The people may vote directly for the nominee as
Ee as for the delegates to the National convention.
Or they may vote directly for the nominee, and
ne delegates to the state convention be named by
he county executive committee from among the