The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1916-04-13
POLITICS GETTING LIVELY
COUNTY CONVENTIONS WILL As
SEMBLE On MAY I.
Each County Entitled to Twice as
Many Delegates as it Has Repre-
sentativeS.

Columbia, April 9.-In accordance
with the direct primary law passed
nv the general assembly at it's session
in 1915 the Democratic voters OF
South Carolina will meet in their re-
spective club places on or before the
fourth Saturday in April and elect
delegates to the county conventions,
which assemble in the various county
seats on the first Monday in May.
The clubs will elect officers and one
delegate to the county convention 1o1
every twenty-five voters or majority
fraction thereof, based upon the num-
ber of votes polled in the first prl-
mary of 1914.
The clubs will also elect a member
to represent them on the. county DEM
ocratic executive committee.
The rules governing the Democra-
ic party as drawn up at the State con-
yention in 1914 were enacted into
law at the session of the general as
sembly in 1915. This puts it beyond
the power of the coming State con-
yention to amend or modify the ex-
listing provisions of the present rules
and regulations of the party. How
ever. it does not preclude adopting
additional rules and regulations
which are not IN conflict with the
statute law.
Principal Features.
The principal features of the law
governing organization of the clubs
for the primaries every two years pro-
vide that each voter must sign his
B full name on the club rolls. The per-
ssonal endorsement provision is con-
sidered one of the strongest safe
guards of the primary, and although
It's adoption created strong opposi-
ton, it is now an accepted principle
s OF the party and it's wisdom was JUS
titled in it's workings two years ago.
The county conventions will meet
at noon on the first Monday in May
at the various county seats and or
ganize, elect the, county chairman,
choose. delegates to. the State con-
yention and elect a member of the
State Democratic executive commit
tee. The county conventions will al
SO transact such other matters as
might be of interest to the various
counties.
Each county is entitled to twice as
many delegates as it has representa-
tion in the general assembly.
The Democratic State convention
will meet in the hall of the house Of
Representatives at noon on Wednes-
day. May II. 1t will be called to or
der by John Gary Evans, chairman
sof the State Democratic executive
corsmittee. The convention will be
composed of 336 delegates.
Business of Convention.
The main business before the con-
svention will be the election of four
delegates at large to the national
Democratic convention in ST. Louis,
the election of member of the ma
tional Democratic executive commit
tee, a position now held by United
States Senator B. R. Tillman, the
election of State chairman, now
held by former Governor John Gary
Evans, and the making of such rules
and regulations governing the party
primaries and the conduct of the
campaign as it may see fit.
The delegates from the various
congressional districts will caucus
during the day and elect two dele
gates from each district to the ST.
Louis convention. This will give
South Carolina 18 votes in the ma
stional Democratic gathering.
The fight to abolish the county-to-
county canvass of the candidates will
be one of the main struggles to come
before the State convention. If the
canvass is not abolished there is
every reason to believe that it will
be safeguarded and amended.
Complexion of big Four"
The complexion of the ''Big Four"
to St. Louis is beginning to attract
some attention. 1t is customary to
send the two United States senators
and the governor. The names of
Senator'S Tillman and Smith, Cover
nor Manning, former Governor John
Gary Evans, State Warehouse Com
missioner John L. McLaurin, former
Governor Blease, Christie Benet.
Senator Alan Johnstone, Congress-
man Lever, R. Goodwin Rhett, of
Charleston, president Of the chamber
of commerce of the United States;
Solicitor Robert A. Cooper, former