The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1916-02-05

Hon George. p. Ranay, Chairman State
Democratic Executive Committee.
Tampa, Fla
Dear SIr-~At the request OF not sx-
ceeding a dozen Democrats as far as
have been able to ascertain. your
committee. at its meeting on January
9Th, for the first time In the history
Of the Democratic party in Florida, and
verify believe that IL was the first
time in the history OF the Democratic
party throughout the United States that
such action has been attempted, adopted
a resolution containing a new and un-
heard OF party test This resolution
declares that a man who win swear and
pledge;
1st-That he Is q white man;
9d-'That he believes in the principles
Of the Democratic party"
Srd-'"That he intends In good faith to
support and vote in the next general
election for ali candidates, national
state and county, nominated by the
Democratic party
and who, when he registers as a Demo
crat, is required under the plain prov1-
sions Of the Primary Law, also to make
oath that his party affiliations are with
the Democratic party, shall no longer be
allowed the privilege II voting In the
Democratic primary in this State, I'M
LESS AND EXCEPT UPON THE FUR
THEIR AND NEW REQUIREMENT that
upon registering or upon being chal-
lenged, he shall ALSO, as required b.
sections four and FIVE Of the Commit
tee Resolution, swear:
''Sec. 4. That he VIII not be infiu-
enced in voting for or against any can
didate by any religious test or on ac-
count Of religious belief. denomination
or sect, with which the candidate is
affiliated"
"seo. s. That he is not member Of
any secret organization which attempts
in any way to influence political action
or results;
the obligations and purposes of which
organization win justify him In refusing
to support any nominee Of the party"
CYou win notice that the first clause
Of the above section Is a separate indie
pendent requirement within itself, and
is not qualified by the clause following
the word ORR
In accordance with the action Of ell
of our Democratic Executive Commit
tees, since the Inauguration Of the pri-
mary system and the established policy
OF the party it was expected that your
committee would declare that only white
Democrats, declaring allegiance to the
principles of the Democratic party, and
pledging themselves to support the DEM
ocratIc nominees, should be allowed to
participate IN the primary as Democrats.
These features were properly covered
by Sections 1. and of the committee
resolution.
But additional tests and requirements
were embraced in Sections 4 and 8 Of
the committee resolution and were adop-
ted without any suggestion or demand
whatever from more than dozen DEM
ocrats, adopted certainly with not more
than three or four of your committee
knowing before you reached Jackson
vile that such additional tests would
even be proposed, adopted without any
public consideration whatever OF the new
requirements by the seventy-flve thou
sand or more, white Democrats Of F1ori-
da, whom the State Committeeman were
elected to represent, adopted after hav-
ing been considered only by a star
chamber session Of a few politicians who
had secretly planned to railroad the
proposition through the committee with
out giving the great hosts Of the Demo
Gratis Of Florida an opportunity to be
heard upon a matter Of such vital con-
Germ to them and to their party, adopted
WITHOUT the Soups OF inc new REQUIRE
ments being fully understood by a num-
Der Of your committee, so they have
since stated
The action Of the committee has
caused a situation to arise of sufficient
gravity and importance to merit and
impress the urgent necessity for the
State Committee to meet at an early
date for more mature consideration as
to whether or not this additional test
shall be exacted Of Democrats before
they shall be allowed to vote in a
Democratic primary
The committee, under the law, I'M
questionably has the right to again
meet, consider and act upon this sub
1ect. You as chairman have the right to
call the committee together. Each OF
your committee was elected by the vote
Of and as the representative OF a Demo
cratic party composed OF Democrats who
at the time of your election had never