Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-09-09
6. CAROLINA ROW
To Be SETTLED
WEDNES
State Executive Committee to
Hear Charges of Fraud in
Recent Primary.

COLUMBIA. =. g.. Sept. O. With the
meeting Of the Subcommittee Of seven
Of the state executive committee on
Wednesday a noon IN the state library
win rest i'm large part the fare Of the
South Carolina primary. an institution
created by Hon. r. r. THlman when
governor of the state in 1890 and also
the decision as 10 whether Cole l..
Blease is reelected governor or wheth-
or he and Judge Ira B. Jones win enter
the general election as candidates for
the same office, both representing the
Democratic party. The committee Is
investigating election fraud and il may
be that it win find enough Illegal votes
20 cause the defeat for denomination
Of Governor Blease.
II is generally conceded that there
are four courses open 10 the committee
to find illegal votes and throw them
ont, in which case a sufficient number
may be thrown out to cause the cleo
ton Of Judge Jones and the overthrow
Of the apparent nomination OF Govern
or Blease; to take cognizance Of the
many filed protests and allegations OF
fraud and declare the first primary void
and order IT to be held again. in which
case a second primary would follow two
weeks later; to declare Governor Blease
the nominee in spite OF the many pro-
tests against the recent primary, or
else refuse to set aside the party con
sttuton and to order that the two can
didates enter the general election, the
party having no nominee, and there
battle for the governorship. The last
seems inevitable.
Likely TO Split State.
South Carolina IS in the midst Of
great political reformation. There is
much speculation to the effect that the
settlement Of the present situation win
divide the state into two political par
ties
The committee which meets Wcdnes-
day will make a thorough investigation
Of the charges that have been made
against the recent primary ana will de-
termine whether there were enough le-
gal volts east for Governor Blease to
declare him renominated. II the com
mittee finds this to he the case. IL will
declare Blease the party nominee.
There is much speculation as to the
authority The committee has and as to
whether or not the probe will mean that
there will be no second primary and
that the candidates will have to enter
INDEPENDENTLY into the general election.
The rules of the Democratic party state
that "a second primary. when necessa
ry. shall he held two weeks after the
first. and there 8 a general belief that
the investigation for fraud which Will
not begin I'LL Wednesday, the daN aft
or the second primary date, AZ pro-
vided in the party constitution. viii
mean that there will be no second pri-
mary this year.
To Reform Primary System.
The primary system of South Caro-
INA is such that fraud is easily prac-
ticed and often impossible of deteC-
ton. Reports OF fraud have been made
from many counties and the county
committees are making Investigations
to assist the work OF the state COM
rni1tee. For the past ten days there
has been such an cutlery against the
primary system that il Is almost Ger
tain that there will never again be
held another along the same line as
that Of two weeks ago. The committee
which has IN hand the election probe
will likely make suggestions 10 the
state convention as 10 dhe abolition or.
what is more likely, the restriction of
a.