The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-05-27

sSss~ss ASy Ses AssO SeSs0
Dsmocs1tic convention which conven-
- ~ neon wednesday ended yestsr-
Aav aftsSnoon ~ S.sS o'clock. after
: new oopstitution and rules for the
govesnaAcs Of the party had been
aAe1ted. Except for minor changes.
~ s6aseitution and rules were agreed
~, ~, ths CONVENTION - they we're re-
Dey1in ~ majority Of the commit
- -: yules ysstsrday afternoon at
1AtE o'clock. After its champions
~ been hoard In its defense. the re-
part o< ths majority Of the committee
q eouseitution and rules was tabled.
The new constitution and rules recon-
usndsd By the majority Of the COM
Ihtttss were adopted with amend
uIohts.> with only two roll calls. both
% which were 90 overwhelmingly In
f1Nor of the majority report that the
Opposition apparently lost heart.
The new constitution and rules are
TIE result Of conferences of advocates
of primary reform In the convention
and reprsssnt many hours Of labor on
ths part of the committee on constitu-
taon a4d rules. In the main the new
poolAsions Of the Democratic party
Avsearo TO safs6uardins the primary
e(1setoue follow what 10 known a the
S0toeuvI1e PLAN" drawn up by w.
~ okvine oe 0rssnville and Others.
- Aennaoss u the regulations of the
80 ~ tsalgnsd 70 prevent fraud
- 1IlSisiss n primary sisetisns:
~ - hAks sweeping new provis-
49, fs} Charleston county. ~,
4 ~ notable that not q single
Z DesA was made in the convention
tav& Of leaving the rules Of the
Afty @ stand a. adopted In 1912.
NJ esestions raised were simply what
uhonoss should be made to safeguard
tstmary elections effectively.
There was q sharp division between
shs reports Of the majority and mi
hef1ty Of the committee on constitu-
t1ea and rules. the latter insisting on
uesefsr, terms Of residence In State and
eounty - one Qualification for voting
80 opposing the rule presented that
Vetsrs should sign the club rolls in
pesson, G
- number of stirring speeches were
t4ode on the hoor of the convention
- the questions raised by the two
's1o6rts Of the committee on constitu-
-. and rules. There was some indica-
tAon that ths advocates OF the, adop-
eiea Of ths minority report wanted TO
AliDustsr, but In the face OF certain
6sfsat thu soon ended.
Ths state convention met 6. big task
msnfulN In the adoption OF new
sulss intended TO safeguard the pri-
n,Ary elections. There were widely d.
vsrging opinions to be reconciled as
- how this should DO done. The rules
cemmittes wased baltic royal from
the time Of Its appointment wednes-
rxy night until II submitted its report
YESTERDAY afternoon. The basic diff
tefences between tho reports Of the
nsA5ority and .he minority OF tho COM
snittss Indicated just how large was
The task which the committee ON con-
settution and rules solved
The convention was a most repre-
sentative body. determined from the
Start to do something to carry out
the mandate Of the people that the
Dsimary elections, should be made
shove suspicion.
The majority report was read by
". q. Shrine OF Greenviilo
The minority report was a series
of amendments to tho majority re-
Pert.
Mr.. Zimmerman said ne believed
all tho delegates favored an honest
pfimary. He said that the minority
OF the committee was opposed to re-
curing voters to present themselves
In person to tho secretaries Of clubs
To sign the rolls. He said that It
would, be hard on the voters and
the secretaries In rural communities
10 carry out this provision In the
majority report. He declared that
the majority rules put the whole ma
chinery OF the party In the hands of
shs men who happened to be In
power.
y'Tf you put dishonest men in
rhaFge OF the primary you are going
% have . dishonest election" said
l6r. zimmerman.
The speaker declared that the resi-
dsacs qualifications OF the majority
report would work q hardship on