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. l new
er knew that such resolution was ev-
en- proposed or So much as thought of
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.
The 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 lcavingI
there at , o'clock in the afternoon for
Tallahassee. As | was taking the
train / purchased 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 p. Cone. Capt. r. E.
Rose and others who were on tho
train. The very next morning I made
plain 10 a number at the capitol myI
opposition to said sections Of tho res.
olutlon, and denounced the manner in !
which It had been railroadcd through
the democratic party, except the few
politicians who had engineered the
scheme.
"Since the meeting Of the commit |
tee ! have continued daily 10 oppose
vigorously sections four and five of
the resolution and shall continue toll
do 50 until the polls close on June &. |
Tho idea Of my being present and &C
quicscing in the resolution is prepos.
ferrous. Those back Of the scheme
very conspicuously avoided letting me
know anything Of what was going on,
just ms they kept it n surprise secret
from the rank and file Of the demo.
cratic party until the proposition had
been put over. They well knew RI
would not approve any such attempt
to disfranchise a large number OF our
good democrats.
within my rights and privileges
as a democrat, as an American citi- |
zen. I have urged that the committee
should reconvenc and rcScind sections
four and 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.
"Mr. Raney. within his privilege. |
has opposed such plan, and urged his
objections upon the members Of the
committee and the public. His re-
peatod opposition to the committed
rcconvening has impressed many that
he would not call the committee to- J
gether, even If requested by a major
ity. He had never said that he would
or would not. so far ms 7 know. and
for this reason I sent him telegram
asking him the direct question. did
not think It necessary to make an ar
gumcnt In behalf of rccOnvening in
my message; hut Mr.. Raney, in his
answer, deemed it proper to make an
argument in opposition to another
meeting. Mr.. Raney Is at 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
opposed 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
-cconvene upon the request Of a ma
lority 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 a majority.
"PARK TRANIMELI.."