The De Soto County news. [volume] (Arcadia, Fla.) 1898-1924, 1916-01-27
GOVERNOR TRANIMELL
OPPOSES RESOLUTIONS

Governor Park Trammell opposes
the executive committees resolutions
in the following words;
81 am opposed to the action Of the
committee. 1 consider the resolution
uncaled for, arbitrary and certainly
IN conflict with the spirit and funda-
mental principles Of democracy.
1.-THE adoption Of such a resolution
was. l think, a serious mistake as far
rs the interest Of the democratic par
ty Is concerned, and / believe II will
prove to be blunder from a political
viewpoint for the politicians who
planned and inspired such propo-
sitlon.
Every democrat regards sacred his
right Of ballot, and he should not on
this or that preteXt be disfranchised
because It seems probable that he
does not contemplate voting for a GER
tain candidate or candidates in an
approaching primary. A candidate and
his friends may use all legitimate and
fair means to win at the polls, but
can not for one moment believe the
great hosts Of loyal democrats Of
Florida will approve Of the work Of
the few who manipulated this plan for
bringing success to the candidate or
candidass Of their choice.
oil In,
the history Of our country. Why, If
such action is allowed to stand we
may az reasonably expect in the fu-
ture the committee to try to dominate
and control all primary elections by
prescribing the particular test for
democrats that will rebound to the
advantage OF the candidate favored
by majority Of the committee and
opcn wide the door to those for their
candidatS.
81 caaAot feel that majority Of
the cou~dttce would have supported
the resolution had It been thoroughly
and deliberately considered.
81 dare say that not more than
three or four Of the committee had
over heard Of the resolution prior toI
the time it was placed before the COM
mittee. AMI certainly those back of
the movement had not taken the DEM
ocrats ~ the state into their conf
dence. so that the sentiment Of the
party could he ascertaincd to an cX-
tent at least upon this radical dcpar-
ture in prescribing the qualifications
of a democrat. Doubtless it was not
desired that It have publicity until It
had been railroaded through the com
mittee.
81 am not a member of the alleged
order or orders at which the resolu-
ton was directed, but l am Informed
by some who are that it will not ac-
complish its object, because its pro
visions do not bar them.
~ do not think this unwise action
on the part Of the committee at the
behest of the politicians who put 1t
over should cause any democrat to
fail to register and participate in the
democfatic primary or else do all he
can to exercise this right. l trust
that this effort on the part Of the
few who engineered it to disfranchise
some of our democrats will not cause
any independent movement or fight
upon the party in the state. We can
'a,., right and correct matters within
the party and through the democrat
t. primary. We must place the blame
where it belongs, and not on the par
ty composed of 10000 or more good,
tried democrats throughout the state,
whom am sure stand ready to re-
buke such methods through their own
party.
at is my opinion that the commit
tee should reconvene and rescind the
resolution in question, and if it should
do so feel confident its action would
he approved by a very large majority
Of the white democrats Of Florida.