Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-05-05
STATE COMMITTEE
REFUSES To BAR
PARTY'S BOILERS
Motion to Pass Special Rule
land Motion to Print Old
Rule on Ballots Are Both
Defeated at Macon Meeting
BY HARLLEE BRANCH,
Journal STAFF Correspondent.

MACON, Ga. May 3.-The Democratid
state executive committee of Georgian
which met in Macon this morning i'm
advance of the meeting of the scate
ccnvention, refused to pass a specian
rule barring boilers from participation
in the Democratic state primary to ba
held this year.
| The committee likewise refused tor
print on the ballots the old rule pledg~
ing voters who participate in the pri-
mary to support the primary nominees.
The committee simply readopted the
old rules in toto with the exception that
five days will be allowed Tor Ming cons
tests instead of one, and with the ex-
| ception as to the date of the state pri-
mary. which was fixed for Tuesday, Sep-
| TENDER IL, and the date OF the conVen~
ton, which was fixed for Tuesday. Sep
TENDER 26, in Macon.
| The old rule pledging voters who par
ticipate III the primary to support the
Urinary nominees reads as follows
THE primary election shall be con-
Quoted IN accordance with the laws OF
this state and the customs of the party
| i'm so far as those customs do not con-.
| hict with existing laws. All wnlte
electors who in good faith will pledge
! themselves to support the Democratic
| candidates for all offices TO be voted
OF this year are hereby declared quail
fed to vote in said primary; and the
act of voting in said primary snail
constitute the aforesaid pledge.
! Debate on the question of passing
| a special rule to bar. boilers from the
primary was launched Immediately after
the committee met, by the Introduction
OF a resolution by John T. West, Of
Thomson. Ga. declaring it TO be the
sense of the committee that such a
| rule should be adopted
Those who led the debate in support
of such a rule were Mr.. West and ].
IB Norman, of Liberty county.
PRINTING OLD RULE
Colonel Bob Travis. Of Chatham coun-
| ~. favored printing the old rule on this
/ ballots, and was supported by Clark
| Howell, of Fulton county, who declared
he could see no harm in printing the
old rule on the ballot
! Opposition to the passing of any spe-
cial rule and to the printing of the old
rule on the ballots was led by j. q
Jackson of Jones county, c. A Coswelp
| Of Wilkinson county. Herbert Clay. or
Cobb county. and ]. r. Branan, of Bull
| loch county.
he would like to see something done
| to keep cut the boilers, but he knew
of no rule that would be effective, as
Watson and his followers will swallow
1 anv obligation and then bolt the prima-
~ when it pleases them"
| John W. Bennett of Ware county,
likewise felt the necessity for some-
| thing TO keep out boilers, but he de-
cIarcd experience had taught him il was
unwise to print any rule on the ballot.
| r. l.. Smith, of Fannin county. urged
the committee to authorize county ex1
ecutive committees in counties where
/ Republicans maintain regular organi-
zation to pass special rules to protecG
the Democratic primaries against par<
ticipation by Republicans. He said Re-
publicans are organized in six counties
in the Ninth congressional district. The
committee voted down his motion.
DETAILS OF MEETING.
| Immediately after the roll of thas
state Democratic executive COMMITTEES
had been called this morning John T.
West, of Thomson, started the discuss
sion by offering resolution to the ef-
feet that it be the sense of the commit
tee that some reasonable rule be adopt
ed that will allow only Democrats to-
vote in the Democratic primaries and
such Democrats to support the nominees.
| MIR West declared that the political
history of Georgia for the past ten
years showed that there had been hard
/ y
which enemies of the party had not
participated, making ii necessary to
have two fights, as these enemies would
| Immediately start a fight on the nomi-'
Inees.
"I want the enemies of the party
Iplaced on the other side of the fence
| said Mr.. West. We ought not to have
TO fight them inside the party as they
lhave no business here.
OPm0c~2tic
Of the state and are today preparing to
Iho'd a Democratic convention to select
IDemocrati tic delegates to a national DEM
ocratic convention.
| I'VE 10 not want mugwumps, Repub>
llicans Bull Moosers or any but Demo~
Gratis to vote in our primar1es-Demo-
Gratis in reality as well as IN name.
j. 4. Jackson, of Jones, offered as a
substitute resolution providing for the.
adoption of the old primary rules which
governed two years ago This brought.
on a vigorous discussion, the substi-
tute would reaffirn the county unit plan
instead Of the majority rule and would
admit all white voters to participate who
would pledge themselves to'support the
nominees of the primary.
7 B. Norman, of Liberty county
urged that all traitors be eliminated
from the party.
G. H. Coswell of Irvington, urged
that mo gag rule be applied, declar-
ing that such a rule would result sim.
DIV as an invitation to the rascals to
come in and knife the party.
Colonel Bob Travis argued that IL
there is to be pledge or obligation 1T
should be on the ballot so that the
voter will be advised when he is voting
that he Is assuming obligation. He
said he did not favor an oath for the
voters.
He declared he was not in favor OF
forever barring those who had at one
time or other been a delinquent, but
that il is necessary TO have some kind
of qualifications for voters SO that those I
who bolt may not be allowed to TURN
around and in tho succeeding election
vote against the nominees he obligated
himself to support.
Herbert Clay, of Marietta. solicitor
general of the Blue Ridge circuit,
strongly opposed any rule prescribing
a pledge which would drive voters out
of the party. He took the position that
all white voters should be invited TO
como into the party and leave the obi"
Continued on Page Two, Col. Two.)