The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1916-01-09
ATE COMMIT TEE AIMS BLOW AT GUARDIANS OF LIBERTY

vote but one feeble mo" was heard
in opposition to its passage.
By the terms of the resolution the
committee will see to it that those
who are members Of so-called secret,
political and religious organizations.
active in the present campaign, will
not participate in the election unless
they agree to abide by the provisions
of the resolution in question. This
also may interfere seriously with a
certain candidate for governor to
succeed Hon. Park Trammell.
Qualification Prescribed.
The committee recommended the
adoption of the latter as prescribing
the qualifications for voters who shall
seek to take part in the nominations
of candidates on June 8. Committee
man r. B. Sturkie, of Pasco county
made strong plea for the adoption
of the resolution. He declared that
it was un-American, unpatriotic and
undemocratic for members of secret
religious-political organizations to be
permitted to nominate political candi-
dates. Mr. Sturlie spoke for several
minutes. He called upon the commit
tee to stand squarely upon American
and Democratic principles and not to
permit religion to creep into the
party in any manner. His remarks
were frequently punctured with APP
plause.
Resolutions Adopted.
At the conclusion of Mr. Sturlde's
remarks Chairman G. P. Raney put
the motion to adopt the resolutions
and they were carried with but one
dissenting vote.
The resolutions were as follows:
Resolved, That legal elector shall
be declared, taken and held as MEM
Der Of the Democratic party upon the
following terms and conditions in adj
dition to those required by the gen.
eral primary election law.
First. That he is white man.
Second. That he believes in the
principles of the Democratic party.
Third. That he intends in good
faith to support and vote at the next
general election for all candidates, ma
tional, state and county, nominated
by the Democratic party.
Fourth. That he will not be in
fiuenced in voting for or against any
candidate by any religious test or on
account of religious belief, denomina-
ton or sect with which the candidate
is affiliated
Fifth. That he is not a member of
any secret organization which at
tempts IN any way to influence po-
litical action or results; or the obi
cations and purposes of which organ
ization will justify him in refusing
to support any nominee of the party.
The Delegate Question.
The real fight of the session was
the question of seating delegates from
Florida in the national convention at
st. Louis. The resolutions committee
spent several hours celebrating over
ways and means of securing Florida's
representation at st. Louis and final
it was decided that the only possible
action open to the committee was to
elect twelve delegates at the meeting
and not submit tn delegate matter to
tn vote of the people. This, of course,
raised howl-especially from the
champions of the rights of the people.
All who supported the idea were
careful to preface their remarks that
they could not think of presuming to
take any of the rights of the people
away from them, but that since very
unusual situation had been brought
about by the fact that the convention
date is but eight days after the Flor
ida primary, it was up to the commit
tee to take no chances in going to the
primary and the people for the dele
gates. They declared that the COM
mittee would be held entirely ac-
countable If Florida had no voice in
the nomination of the next Demo-
cratic presidential candidate. Nine
teen of those present believed that
it would be possible to elect the dele |
gates, have them certified and sent to |
st. Louis in time, while eighteen diff |
fered. 1t was close vote and for a |
time the result was questionable. |
Committeeman Brett of Washington,
fearing that the primary idea would |
prevail moved to change his vote |
with the opposition-evidently to be |
able to move for a reconsideration.
Secretary Fisher, however, was |
careful in arriving at the total and |
Mr.. Brett walked over to the desk, |
and when he believed that the vote
would be Is to 16 if he voted with /
the primaryites, he changed his vote
again so it would be what ne be-
lieved tie. However, the final count
showed 10 in favor of tabling the
resolution providing for the election
of delegates by the committee as
against 18 against.
Primary Fight.
An effort was made to have all APP
pointive offices, from constable up, to
be made subject to primary action, R.
Pope Reese, of Escambia, leading the
fight. His efforts were forestalIed |