The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1914-03-13
CANDIDATES Are
TREATED TENDERLY
By the Democratic Executive
Committee in Session
Tuesday.

called the County Democratic Execu-
tive Committee to order in the court
nouse shortly after 10 o'clock last
Tuesday morning it was found that
I6 of the 20 members were repre-
sented in person or by proxy.
Chairman Calhoun read the section
Of the primary law relating to the
powers and duties of the committee
and briefly but clearly explained the
features of the statute which limit the
work OF the committee from the du-
lies incumbent under the old primary
;ystem. He explained that the law
required the committee to meet before
March 18th to make it's assessment
IN candidates and that this assess
nent could not exceed 2 per cent of
The annual salary of the Office to
which the candidate aspired.
On motion the committee took up
the Offices separately and made the
assessments as follows:
County tax assessor, $40; county
treasurer, SIG; county tax collector,
$40; members of the school board,
81; county commissioners, 81; State
senator, 81; representatives in legis-
ature, 81; supervisor of registration,
81.
Each of the candidates for the va
'ious offices above enumerated will
)e required to pay an additional fiji,
ng fee with the county clerk of 8 per
cent of the annual salary of the Of
ice to which they aspire, this to be
laid at the time they file their appli-
'ation as candidate to go on the
ticket.
After the assessments had been
made, Mr.. Chas Burt, who held a
proxy from Palatka Heights precinct,
introduced a resolution of censure to
certain newspapers of the county
because of the charge that had been
made of an attempt "to introduce
eolored voters into our primaries
through sinister motives"
Mr.. w. M. Williams, committeeman
rom Pomona also spoke to the res
)lution. He was in the dark as to
which precinct or precincts were re-
erred to and he thought that Mr.
Russell of the Palatka News, who had
made the charge, ought to apologies
10 the committee, or at least make his
charges specific as to the precinct re.
ferred to in the charges. He wantet
t understood that Pomona precinct
vas not guilty.
Mr.. Russell, who held the proxy OF
Major j. L. Burton of Crescent City
then took the floor. He said that M
! apology would be coming from him
The Palatka News, of which he was
editor, had alone made the charge ant
hat the precinct had been specified
N that charge; chat instead of .apol
ogizing he would reiterate the charg;
and that he was prepared to prove
such charge true, here and now." Ht
llso stated that at the time these ne
yroes were being registered the mel
Who were responsible for the worl
made their boasts that they were do
ng it, and their purpose. Mr. Rus
,el said that he had no doubt that
1T the time, these men believed tina
hey were justified in the law in S,
loing; that even some newspapers O
he State contended that under tn
lew primary law negroes would be al
owed to vote. This however, Mr.
Russell averred was a mistaken no
Zion. He read the section of the lav
which gave to parties the right t.
state the qualifications of its primar,
PARTICIPANTS, and stated that tn
Democratic party in 1900 had mad
is clear rule of white primaries; tina
his rule would hold good until abro
yated by the party, something tn
Democratic party would never do. M,
Russell also stated that while thes
men who had secured negroes to reg
.ster with the purpose of voting ther
IN the democratic primary, may hav
felt they were justified in the law i
so doing, he held that as democrat;
men who should be familiar with tn
political history of this State, ther
could be no justification.
Mr.. Burt withdrew the resolution
and Mr.. Williams stated that so lon
as his precinct was not the one referl
ed to he was satisfied.
Mr.. Burt's resolution that tn
"State Executive Committee be re
quested to formulate such rules a
are necessary to maintain white ST.
premacy within our ranks" was
substance adopted.