The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-12-30
Senator Bryan Wants
Assessments OF Candidates

that, in his estimation, the State
Executive Committee should levy
the necessary assessment of per
cent on the various candidates, Sen
ator n. P. Bryan, who returned
home from Washington yesterday
morning, gives his reasons why
there should be a State Executive
Committee, and says he thinks the
candidates should make joint de-
bates before the public. In speaking
of the levying of an assessment on
the candidates, Senator Bryan said:
The law protects the right of the
State Executive Committee to levy
an assessment. My information is
that before the last primary was
held a resolution was passed to the
effect that no assessments should be
levied, and that that is now on file
with the Secretary of State. ! be-
lieye the committee ought to levy
an assessment in the coming pri
mary. 1t may be that it will not
provided by the statute. | had sew
eral objects in view in giving the
committee the authority to levy
this assessment
In the first place, it seemed to
me that the levying of an assess
ment was preferable to requiring
candidates to secure petitions, in or
der to have their names placed up
on the ballots, and that one or these
methods should be adopted.
II can see no useful purposes to
be served by requiring petition to
be filed by a candidate, in order to
have his name placed upon the bal
lot. except to keep the ballot from
being loaded down with the names
of candidates.
The main object l had in view
was to enable the committee, out of
the proceeds of these assessments.
to bring the candidates and the
voters together. | believe the COM
mittcc should establish an timer
airy for the candidates. In this way
issues arising in the campaign would
come TO the surface, and an oppor-
tunity would be given to candidates
to be heard in their own defense.
also believe it would be found in
any Statewide campaign that the
people will be able more easily to
determine their choice, after hav-
ing heard the candidates in an open
discussion, and | think the assess
ment levided ought to be enough to
enable the committee, not only to
didatcs but to defray the expenses
of hiring halls, bands, etc.
Favors Executive Committee.
The impression seems to be
quite general that there is practical
ly nc reason for the existence of the
executive committee, and, therefore,
no need for it to meet at all The
State Executive Committee has as
much power as it ever had, except
that it has been relieved from the
performance of some of the detail
duties in connection with the cleo
tions. 1t no longer fixes the date
of the holding of the election, as
that is done by law. 1t no longer
has anything to do with the cX-
pensc of providing ballots and pay
ing officers. The officers are appoint
ed ny the County Commissioners, the
expenses are paid in the same man
ner as the expenses of holding gen
eral election.
But, aside from these mere mat
tiers of detail. the State Executive
Committee has as much to do as it
ever had, and by reason of this fact
that it is relieved OF paying the eX-
peHSeS VI uOlulHS TIE elections, IL
is able to devote its attention to
matters of real concern, bith as to
the electorate and to the candid
ates''
When asked whom of the proposed
talked-of Presidential timber of the
Republican party would be the pos
sihle candidate, Senator Bryan re-
plied that it would be hard to say
but declared that. in his estimation,
there was no man in either the Re
publican party of the Bull Moose
party that could defeat Woodrow
Wilson fro the Presidency of the
United States.
Senator Bryan will return to
Washington about the Sd of jan
nary after having spent the greater
part of the holidays with his fam
lily and friends in this city.