The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-04
Full Attendance Expected at
Session in Montgomery
Wednesday
IMPORTANT ISSUES
ARE TO BE SETTLED
Matter of Single or Double Primary
Regarded by Members as Prob
ably of the Foremost
Importance

Montgomery. January Especial ALI
state democratic executive committee,
which will assemble in Montgomery next
Wednesday. Committeeman. candidates
and voters in general are looking for
ward to this event, and the conference
bids fair to prove one of the most inter-
esting in many years.
OF foremost importance will be the de-
cision of the committee as to a single or
double primary. question which has re
ceived much comment in the state during
the last few months, and which both
committeeman and candidates have re-
Trained from discussing. Whatever their
individual views in regard to the subject,
members of the committee have been re-
luetant to express them, and candidates,
in order to appear in harmony with the
committee. have been equally as reticent.
However, it is now believed that the
committee will choose the double primary
system, a method which. on the whole,
will probably be more democratic with
the present number of candidates in the
field. Most of the gubernatorial candi-
dates are believed to favor this plan,
which will enable the two leading candi-
dates in the first primary to run off the
race in the second.
Committeeman Not Committed
There can be no doubt of the fact that
members of tn committee are not COM
mitted to either plan, and it is believed
that they will go into the convention with
the same open mind. 1t is reported that
several members of the committee have
expressed a choice for a plurality pri-
mary, while others are said to favor
the majority plan. The selection remains
with the committee of the whole.
Another question which the committee
will decide will be the selection of date
for holding the primary, though itds gem
orally believed that April will be the
day set by the committee. Chairman
Tyler Goodwin has expressed the opinion
that the committee will decide on this
date. He ais obelieves that the second
primary, should one be called, will be
held within two or three weeks following
the first.
However, there is known to be some
opposition to an April primary, owing to
the fact that weather and crop condi-
tions at that time might initiate against
large attendance at the polls. June has
been suggested by some well known polit-
ical leaders as an ideal month for holding
the primary, but it is not probable that
this suggestion will be regarded with
favor by the committee
The executive committee will assuredly
go on record as opposing the convention
plan for the nomination of supreme court
judges. Chairman Goodwin was the first
of the committee to voice this opposition,
and it is understood that the majority of
the committee maintain like ideas on the
subject.
None of the candidates for the supreme
court will express their views on the sub
ject. One of the candidates has intimated
that he favored the primary plan, indi-
eating that he believed all officers. How
ever. he declared that he was perfectly
willing to abide by the committees de-
cision. although he would take no part,
one way or the other, ininfluencing the
committees action.
There is still another question which
will doubtless receive much consideration
at the hands of the committee. This is
the proposition to allow the voters of the
state to nominate a candidate for the
short senatorial term.
Chairman Goodwin was the first to sug-
gest this plan, and 1t Is believed that his
proposition will be regarded with favor
by large number of the committeeman.
Tt Is Chairman Goodwyn's suggestion thai
the committee authorize double Sena-
torial ballot. and that two senatorial can
didates be nominated, one for the short
and the other for the long term. Should
this be done, 1t is likely that Frank p
Glass as the governors appointee, would
enter the primary for the short term.
Whether or not any other candidate would
enter the race for hte short term is
not known, but it is rumored that Mr..
Glass would have opposition. Neither
Oscar w. Underwood nor Capt. r. p.
Hobson, it is understood. would enter the
primary for the short term.
The double senatorial ballot contem-
plates the adoption by Congress of the
Popdexter resolution, providing for the
calling of special elections to fill sena-
torial vacancies pending the ratification
by states of the seventeenth amendment
to the constitution. Reports indicate that
this resolution will be adopted. in which
event the governor will be authorized to
call special election for the nomination
of candidate foR the short term, al
though Alabama has not yet ratified the
seventeenth amendment.
Large Attendance of Committee
Indications point to a full attendance
of the executive committee and it is
believed that practically all of the At COM
mitteemen will be here when the meeting
is called