The De Soto County news. [volume] (Arcadia, Fla.) 1898-1924, 1916-02-17
CHAIRMAN GEO. 2. RANEY
YIELDS TO AN APPEAL.

Chairman Raney has yielded to the
appeal Of a majority of the committee
who oppose the Sturkie resolution in
the following statement:
"A majority Of the state democratic
executive committee having indicated
to me desire for another meeting, I
will, tomorrow, issue a call for such
meeting Of the state democratic cx-
ecutivc committee to he held i'm Jack
sonville on February -. ,SigncdD
George p. Rancy, Jr.. chairman.
The Tampa Tribune commenting on
this action, has the following to say:
1T ends. for the present, the agita-
ton that has developed i'm opposition
TO sections Nos. and of the So
called Sturkie resolution passed by
the committee at jacksonville at the
meeting held on January 6. 1t also
opens the way for one Of the hittcrcSt
fights that has ever developed in the
state committee.
Following a receipt Of the brief
communication from Chairman Rancy
an effort was made To get more eN-
tended statement from him. He
would not answer personally, hut had
his secretary state that he had in
Guided all he was willing to say in
the statement formally made public.
When the announcement was made
Of the action Of the committee in pass
Ing the now famous resolution storm
of protest arose. Chairman Raney
answered these by saying that his idea
If the resolution was that 1t was
simply to bind loyalty to the party,
that electors should abide the result
Of the primary. and that it was a
measure calculated To prevent break
in the ranks Of the party In Florida
He stated. however. that he would
call a meeting Of the committee. pro-
vidcd q majority Of the members Of
the committee made request. II Is
presumed that a majority Of the COM
mitteemen made the request for an
other meeting, at which time 1t is
expected there will develop a bitter
fight.
Last night Chairman Raney refused
to state the number Of committeeman
who had requested another meeting
OF the committee. hut it is presumed
that the majority was sufficient to
convince the chairman that there Is
urgent necessity for having some
final action on the resolution to pre-
vent a serious split in the state.
Governor Park Trammell. candidate
for the United States senate. has led
in the opposition to the enforcement
Of the provisions Of the. so-callcd Stur-
kic resolution. He has iSscud several
signed statements calling attention to
the undemocratic tone Of the reSolu-
ton. and pointing ont the possibilities
for discord in the party in the state.
To this it has been answered that the
only object and the only effect that
the resolution could have would he
10 bind the bonds Of democracy in.
the state.
II has been openly charged that the
real author Of the resolution was not
Mr.. Sturkic. and he has acGuicsced
in this. hut that the resolution was
prepared in Jacksonville. Various
stories Of the intent Of the instrument
have been told cffecting the coming
Urinary. all Of them tending to stir
IN a fight within democratic party
ranks never known before in the long
democratic history Of Florida.
II is expected that when the com
mittce meets at Jacksonville on Feb
ruary % that a bitter fight will result
over the passage Of this resolution,
Committeeman Surlilc. of Pasco, who |
Is credited with the resolution, has
been quoted as saying that he was
not the Trainer, nor the father Of the
resolution. hut that he voted for It.
Some Of the committeeman, It Is al
legged, were not present when the res
nlution was put through.
The full text Of the resolution fol-
laws:
"Resolvtd, That a legal elector shall
he declared. taken and held as
member Of the democratic party upon
The following terms and conditions in
addition to those required by the gem
,rn1 ,nrirnnr,. nlectinn law