Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1914-02-22
PLACE IN MOTION
N0X|OUS GAG rule
Central Committee Bars
Candidates From Voice
in Affairs.
SUB COMMITTEE CIT"
Three Members Are Given DictatoriaI
Powers in Matter-Prfmary to
Be Held March %.
SUBCOMMITTEE CIT"

Going back to the old, partisan
manner of conducting elections, the
Democratic County Central Commit
tee meeting yesterday morning, pass
ed resolutions which completely deny
candidates any voice or right to rep
resentation. and the unfair rule was
set of placing the election machinery
into the hands Of but three men.
Backed by the majority of the COM
mitteemen present and who held
proxies of some absentees, gag rule
with a vengeance was applied in such
manner that candidates are render
ed powerless to properly look after
their interests. Practically all that a
candidate can do is to run under the
tee named, with no voice whatever as
to judges and clerks. The rule
adopted, placing the subcommittee in
complete control, amounts to practic-
ally dictatorship of elections.
In consideration of election matters
the central committee named March
% as the date for the primary, when
the state and county and municipal
offices such as circuit judge, prose-
cutting attorney, city clerk and alder
men, are to be filled. A date of Febru-
airy % was named as the time limit
for candidates to pay their fees and
get on the ticket.
As to Delegates.
One of the resolutions adopted and
presented by Greed Caldwell, gives
committeeman the right to name as
many candidates as their precinct is
entitled to for election as delegates
to the county convention which meets
March so at 1 o'clock.
E. J. Kerwin offered a resolution
that the primary be held on March
| %, and that the county convention
meet on March 80 at l o'clock. The
resolution also provided that ]. D..
Barraque, 10 Nichol and T. B. Gull
| ledge be appointed subcommittee
to hold the primary election and for
this committee to have charge of all
things connected with the election.
| Chairman Brewster offered an
|
that candidates have a representative
at the counting of ballots in any ward
of the city or precinct of the county.
This was voted down. During the
session Chairman Brewster delivered
a short address in which he said that
the plan advocated by the committee
was a departure from methods which
have been successfully employed and
that candidates should have the right
also to select the judges and deliver
names. The committee, however,
failed to agree on this point.
Yes-But No.
! At another point during the meet
ing, in reference to naming the sub
committee, Meyer Solmson asked if it
had not been the custom to have the
chairman, with the secretary and an
other committeeman to take care OF
the preliminary details essential to a
primary election. 1t was admitted
this was true, but Judge Kerwin ex-
planned that the reason for naming
the subcommittee was to give the
city, the north and side sections of
the county equal representation, from
his standpoint.
Later, when the Caldwell resolution
was presented, giving the sub-com-
mittee the right to name judges, Mr..
Solmson offered an amendment, for
the appointment of the judges to be
left with the two candidates for Cir
cult Judge. and the secretary of the
committee, each to name one, and
suggested that the two candidates for
city attorney be permitted to name
the two clerks at each precinct. This,
like Chairman Brewster's amendment,
1 i