The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-04-19
Explanation BY Price
Does Not Explain
CONTINUED From Page one)

reason OF the contentious OF LndL pOT-
ton of the press referred to, for crying
frame up is that thereby they expect
and hope to make some political CAPT.
tai upon what they know is mere
"clap-trap" and thereby deceive some
of the voters Of the state into voting
for Wilson when otherwise they would
not do so.
1 desire to state in this connection,
that prior to the time Of qualifying
under the primary had expired, that l
had never heard Of any agreement or
understanding as between Clark and
Harmon, as alleged, neither was l in
any manner consulted with reference
to any such agreement or understand
ing If any existed, but on the contrary
supposed that each Of them would re-
quest either IN person or by campaign
manager that their names be printed
| upon the official ballot
You held a proxy, from Escambia
county. at the converting Of the State
Democratic Executive Committee, and
| took part in the deliberations of that
| body. You will doubtless recollect that
after the adoption of the call the ques-
ton arose as to the method of getting
the names of presidential candidates
upon the ballot and that at that time
| and place that I stated to the commit
| tee that 1 would write to each person
| who was prominently mentioned as
| being a candidate for this office, and
| that / would send to them a copy Of
| the official call and request each of
| them to advise me if they respectively
| desired their names printed upon the
| official ballot under the call mentioned.
You will further recollect as to this
| method there was no objection and it
| was understood by the members of the
committee that this course would be
pursued.
| In accordance with the views thus
| expressed and acquiesced in at the
meeting Of the state committee as
aforesaid I wrote to each and every
person who was prominently men
toned fo-a the esaoa isa-S question or-ta
| their political campaign managers, ad-
vised them Of the call, and requested
| each Of them. If they desired to have
| their names printed upon the official
ballot to so advise, and that their
names would be certified by me to the
| respective chairmen of the county
committees Of the state.
AS chairman of the state committee
| l have certified the names Of all can
| didates for the Office of president, who
| so requested but have not certified any
| names unless I was authorized so to
| do, either by the candidate himself or
| some person acting for him.
That you understood that request
was necessary in order that the name
Of any presidential candidate be print
| ed upon the ticket is shown by your
letter to me, Of date March 18th, 1912,
which letter, leaving off the printed
part of your letter head, is in words
as follows:
Pensacola. March ~, 1912.
| Hon. VIII H. Price Chairman State
Dem. Elk. Com, Mariana, Fla
| Dear Sir: l am not informed as to
| the DEFINITE procedure necessary to
have the name of Woodrow Wilson
printed upon the primary ballot of
April Soth and May 2Sth, as a candi-
| Gate for president. AS q supporter of
Governor Wilson, I request that his
name be printed upon the ballot
Kindly advise what, If anything
! further, is required in the matter and
oblige,
Very truly yours,
FRANK l. MAYES"
You will recollect that you were
promptly advised by me that he had
duly qualified and that the name of
| Wilson would appear upon the official
| ballot.
From the foregoing it is apparent
that you knew and understood that
some kind of request was necessary in
order to have the name of any candi-
date for president to be printed upon
the ballot and that you as a supporter
VI "OOOION wilson, raised no OD1eC-
ton to that course.
l desire to state further that while
1t is true that / had the pleasure OF
meeting Senator Bankhead on the train
one evening as l was on my way TO
Panama City and was with him from
Mariana to Cottondale, yet he in no
manner suggested that the names Of
either Clark or Harmon would not be
printed upon the ballot, or that it was
the intention of either of the gentle
men referred to, not to become candI
dates for president before the primary
Neither has Hon. T. A. Jennings OF
Frank Chase in any manner consulted
with me with reference to the elimina-
ton of the names of Harmon or Clark
from the official ballot.
did not certify the names Of either
Harmon or Clark, for the reason that
neither complied with the rules and
regulations as adopted by the state
committee. I have acted solely upor
my own judgment under the conditions
stated, as to the method of securing
the names of presidential candidates
and have certified all names of persons
who have so requested.
I have no excuses TO make as to my
actions in the premises.
1 am truly yours.
WILL H PRICE,
Chairman State Dem. Elk. Com.
RapIv 70 Priee's | altar