The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1912-03-20
The Steam Roller

Hearst is the most progressive OIL
the "progressives; in fact, he i:
mighty near the daddy of the pro
gressive" movement in the demo
cratic party; but it can be said Of
him that he always fights in The
open. Steam rollers are not to his
liking. The Georgia article of pro.
gressiveism does not appeal to him
His Atlanta paper, the Georgian
speaking of the action of the state
committee, says:
The old steam roller, which has
done valiant and efficient service in
state politics off and on for the past
few years, made its first appearance
of the springtime yesterday, when
the democratic state executive COM
mittee met and decided on the rules
for the presidential primary.
The steam roller was working well,
and gracefully flattened out what
ever opposition might have been dis
posed to stand in its way.
Furthermore-and here is the ba-
sis of a great deal of complaint that
has been made since the reports of
yesterdays meeting were published
it smoothed the way for more
steam rolling. 1t effectually prevent
ed the appearance of any minority
at the state convention which will
meet after the primary to choose the
states delegates to the Baltimore
convention.
There can be no minority to speak
Here Is the Way the System Works.
Here is the beautifully simple
procedure for the choice of dele
gates to the national convention, as
railroaded through yesterdays meet
ing of the state committee:
On May l the primary will be held
the Australian ballot. On
may 10 the state committee will
meet in Atlanta, will canvass the
vote and award the state of Georgia
to the candidate for the democratic
nomination who shall have received
in the primary a plurality-not
of the vote cast. After de-
claring the result the state commit
tee will order the county executive
committees to appoint from the sup
pOrters, of the successful candidates
delegates to a state convention which
will be held in Atlanta May 20. And
this convention will select the dele
gates to the national convention at
Baltimore.
Very complex and roundabout, all
this, but so simple for the steam roll
er stunt.
1t absolutely abOlishes a minority.
And likely as not it absolutely
a majority.
Majority's Wish Will Be Defied.
Let us see how it works. The
voters may vote for any presidential
candidate they desire. The names of
Champ Clark, Judson Harmon, Os-
car Underwood and Woodrow Wilson
will appear on the ballot, and there
will be left spaces for such other
names as may occur to the voters.
Assume, then, that $50, 900 votes are
cast in the primary; that 10000
votes are cast for one candidate and
the remaining 10000 are so divided
among the others that the candidate
receiving 10000 has a plurality.
This candidate gets the entire state
delegation, even though it be that
voters of the state of Geor-
gia are bitterly opposed to him and
would prefer any other candidate.
Thus it is that the rules may we'll
provide for an absolute defiance of
the wishes of the majority.
One Man Rules in Convention.
Then it is pointed out that the
to be held in Atlanta.
to select delegates to the national
convention, is nothing more than a
One-man affair. There can appear
on the floor of this convention no
one except the supporters of the can
didate receiving the plurality
The action of the convention has
stirred up a lot of talk, the gist of
which is that the machinery of the
democratic party in Georgia is work
ing in a way that has no element of
genuine democracy in it.
The whistle of the steam roller
has drowned the voice of the people.