Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1912-04-02
NOT FAIR TO
SMALL COUNTIES
Charley Branan Protests Against
Move Of Wilson Men.
BACK TO PEOPLE HIS SLOGAN

CHdTlSS L. bTdHdu, dH original ana gen.
| uine apostle of reform, who can give
any other reformer in the state heavy
odds and still stand out most conspic.
uously as at least the most consistent
| one of the bunch.
Mr.. Branan is not a reformer for
selfish purposes and is not a candi.
date for Office. Six years ago in the
first campaign for so-called reform
against machine politics" Mr.. Bran.
an worked like Trojan and has been
consistent reformer ever since.
But now Reformer Branan has
reached the conclusion that the kind
of reform for which he was fighting
| was not the kind that it was cracked
up to be and he makes some very
interesting statements in an inter.
view which he gave the Constitution
yesterday.
Explains His Position.
81 have come around just to protest
at the action of the state Democratic
executive committee in refusing to let
the people vote direct for delegates
to the state convntion," said Mr.. Bran
an, of Atlanta, Yesterday
"The people of the state are tired
of this juggling of their rights. | am
one of the original Georgia progress
sive Democrats and no man did more
than to establish the principle "back
to the people" and that Georgia should
hn cd hu fich
And yet, unfortunately for the state,
our apparent victory seems to have
been a limited one.
THE people of Georgia should have
the right to say who shall represent
them in the national Democratic con.
vention, at least through delegates
elected by the people, just as much as
they have right to say who will rep
resent them in the Georgia legisla.
ture. While it is true | am a mem.
Der of the county comittee, county
committee has no more right to jug.
gle delegates to a national conSeM.
tion than they would have to juggle
with the names of the men who will
represent the counties of the state in
a constitutional convention.
Says Trust the People.
'If the committee was sincere in its
desire to let the voice of the people
be given fair expression, then there
was no earthly reason for them to re-
fuse to let the people vote direct for
their delegates, instead of leaving the
matter to a political juggle.
IF there is any man in the state of
Georgia who can take this position
consistently now, it is I, for l have
brought with me to show you a copy
of a letter that | wrote on the 29th
of March, 1902-ten years ago-in
which in a formal address to the
state Democratic executive committee
| asked that all delegates to represent
the people be chosen by the direct
vote of the people.
I'm that letter / said:
GA convention composed of men
direct from the people can and will |
cratic platform which will mean some
thing. For the people, to say the least |
of it, have very little confidence in |
conventions composed of delegates |
named through Democratic CD coun-
ty executive committee who are gen.
orally controlled by men who are in
politics for the almighty dollar. i
Hoping you will instruct and di- |
rect the county Democratic executive
committee to allow the people to vote
direct for the delegates, | am
"'CHARLES I. BRANAN.'
Disguised at "We Reformers."
"That sentiment has been growing |
straight along in Georgia from that |
time to this and l thought that when |
we 'reformers' got in power the day |
of slow progressive Democracy would |
be over. One of the candidates for !
president said in a speech the other
day, In choosing candidates we too
often lose sight of principles
ut strikes me that there should yet
be some way for the county commit
tees to undo this wrong they have
done the people and |, for one, would
be willing to join in any movemen.
to that end. | dare say no candidat
for president would dispute the propo
sition | have laid down.