The De Soto County news. [volume] (Arcadia, Fla.) 1898-1924, 1916-02-03

Neither Mr.. Raney nor any one else
saw me I'm the committee room. 1 new
or knew that such resolution was ev-
on proposed or So much as thought uf
until the committee had adopted the
resolution and had adjourned. Mr..
Rancy must have had Senator Bryan
in mind as he was present and has
over his own signature said he ap.
proved Of the resolution at the time.
Tho information Of such resolution
and the action Of the committee was
brought to my attention for the first
time only few moments before I left
Jacksonville on the train leaving
there at , o'clock in the afternoon for
Tallahassee. As | was taking the
train I purchased a paper containing
the resolution. Immediately upon
reading IT I expressed to friends on
the train my disapproval Of sections
-four and five. This I can prove by
Hon. Fred =. Cone. Cant. r. T..
Rose ana others who were on the
train. The very next morning I made
plain to number at the capitol my
opposition 10 said sections Of tho rc,-
olution, and denounced the manner I'm
which It had been ralroadcd through
the democratic party, except the few
politicians who had engineered the
scheme.
"Since the meeting of the commit
tee I have continued daily to oppose
vigorously sections four and five of
the resolution, and shall continue toll
do so until the polls close on June g. |
The idea Of my being present and ac-
qulcscing In the resolution Is prepos.
ferrous. Those back Of the scheme
very conspicuouSly avoided letting mcI
know anything Of what was going on,
just rs they kept 1t n surprise secret
from the rank and file Of the dcmo.l
cratic party until the proposition had
been put over. They well knew II
would not approve any such attempt
to disfranchsc a large number Of our
good democrats.
"Within my rights and privileges
as democrat, as an American citi-
zen, I have urged that the committee
should reconvenc and rcscind sections
four ana five Of the resolution. ana
then If n majority Of the committee
so desire, let them submit the new
tests for adoption or rejection by the
vote Of the white democrats qualified
to vote as democrats under the same
requirements heretofore prescribed
for democrats in this state.
"NIr. Rancy, within his privilege, |
has opposed such plan and urged his
objections upon the members Of the
committee and the public. His re-
pcatcd opposition to the committee.
,rcconvening has impressed many that
he would not call the committee to-
gether, even If requested by major
ity. He had never said that he would .
or would not. so far ms I know. and |
for this reason I sent him a telegram
asking him the direct question. I did
not think It necessary 10 make an ar
cumcnt in behalf Of reconvening in
my message; hut Mr.. Raney, in his
answer, deemed it proper to make an
argument in opposition to another
meeting. Mr.. Raney Is nj liberty To
publish my wire and his reply. Had
Mr.. Rancy in the outset said as
chairman Of the committee he would
rcconvene the committee upon a re-
quest Of the majority. although he was.
to meeting again, then the
large number Of the committee who
have favored reconvening would have
felt that their request for another
meeting would he entertained: but his
persistent opposition and his failure
until very recently to say he would
rcconvene upon the request Of a ma
iority has impressed many that it was
useless to make such request Of him.
am glad he has expressed his will
ingness to call the committee upon
he request Of majority.
park TRANGNIELL."