The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1916-04-12
VOTERS TO CHOOSE
DELEGATES SOON
COUNTY CONVENTIONS ASSEM-.
BILE IN VARIOUS COUNTY
SEATS ON MAY I.

Columbia, April 10.-Special: In
accordance with the primary law
passed by the General Assembly at
its session in 1915 the Democratic
voters of South Carolina will meet in
their respective club places on or be-
fore the fourth Saturday in April and
elect delegates to the county conven-
tions, which assemble in the various
county seats on the first Monday on
May. The clubs will elect officers
and one delegate to the County Con-
vention for every twenty-five voters
or majority fraction thereof, based
upon the number of votes polled in
the first primary of 1914.
The clubs will also elect member
to represent them on the county
Democratic executive committee.
The rules governing the Democra-
tic party as drawn up at the State
Convention in 1914 were enacted in
to law at the session of the General
Assembly in 1915. This puts it be-
yond the power of the coming State
Convention to amend or modify the
existing provisions of the present
rules and regulations of the party.
However, it does not preclude adopt
ing additional rules and regulations
which are not in conflict with the
statute law.
Principal Features.
The principal features of the law
governing organization of the clubs
t4,<, o,-rA frry0 NC
provide that each voter must sign
his full name on the club rolls. The
personal enrolment provision is con-
sidaed one of the strongest safe
guards of the primary, and although
It's adoption created strong opposi-
ton, it is now an accepted principle
of the party and its wisdom was JUS
tilted in its workings two years ago.
The county convention will meet
xt noon on the first Monday in May
at the various county seats and or
ganize, elect the county chairman,
choose delegates to the State Conven-
ton and elect a member of the State
Democratic executive committee. The
county conventions will also transact
such other matters as might be of
interest to the various counties.
Each county is entitled to twice as
many delegates as it has representa-
tion in the General Assembly.
The Democratic State Convention
Will meet in the hall of the House of
Representatives at noon on Wednes-
day, May II. It will be called to or
der by John Gary Evans, chairman
of the State Democratic executive
committee. The Convention will be
composed of 336 delegates.
Business of Convention.
The main business before the Con-
vention will be the election of four
delegates at large to the National
Democratic Convention in st. Louis,
the election of a member of the Ma
tionsI Democratic executive commit
tee, a position now held by United
States Senator B. R. Tillman, the
election of a State chairman, now
held by former Governor John Gary
Evans, and the making of such rules
and regulations governing the party
primaries and the conduct of the
campaign as it may see fit.
The delegates from the various
Congressional districts will caucus
during the day and elect two dele
gates from each district to the ST..
Louis Convention. This will give
South Carolina 18 votes in the ma
tional Democratic gathering.
The fight to abolish the county-to-
county canvass of the candidates will
be one of the main struggles to come
before the State Convention. If the
canvass is not abolished there is ev-
ery reason that it will be safeguarded
and amended.
Complexion of "Big Four"
The complexion of the "Big Four"
to st. Louis is beginning to attract
some attention. It is customary to
send the two United States Senators
and the Governor. The names of Sem
ators Tillman and Smith, Governor
Manning, former Governor John
Gary Evans, State Warehouse Com
missioner John L. McLaurin, former
Governor Cole L. Blease, Christie
Benet, Senator Allan Johnstone, Con-
gresham Lever, r. Goodwin Rhett,
of Charleston, president of the
Chamber of Commerce of the United
States; Solicitor Robert A. Cooper,
former Governor M. F. Ansel, are
among those mentioned for the dele
gates at large to the National Demo-
cratic Convention.
South Carolina will undoubtedly
instruct for President Woodrow Will
SON and his administration will be
heartily endorsed by the Palmetto
Democrats. AS this was one Of the
original Wilson States the South
Carolina Democrats will be given a
place of honor at st. Louis.
With the club meetings only two
weeks off general apathy on the part
of the people is the outstanding fea-
ture of the general situation. The
indifference has never been more no
ticeable, and it seems now as if the
~.-,,;,ot;on of tho c1I1hs and the