The Palatka news and advertiser., 1917-03-02
ORGANIZATION VS..
INDEP EPENDENTISM.


The democratic party in Palatka i
threatened with disruption, with tn
threat from within its own ranks.
The council has passed an ordinance
providing that nominations for cit,
officers shall be obtained by petition
that five per cent of the voters are re
qulred to petition to secure the nom
lnation for mayor; that ten per cen
of the voters in a ward are necessary
to secure the nomination for alder
man.
The ordinance is said to have pass.
ed the council unanimously; it is now
in the hands of the mayor, who, hav,
ing had time to reflect, will probably
veto the measure.
number of the aldermen who
voted for the passage of the ordinance
The News is inclined to believe. did
so without carefully examining the
matter.
There has long been a feeling that
our present system of making city
nominations is antiquated. Most of
the cities of the state have adopted
the primary system, provided by law,
but which, in the case of cities. is not
compulsory. Perhaps the best reason
advanced in PaIatka for not adopting
the primary is the expense. The
present caucus-convention system
doesn't cost anything.
The greatest objection to the eau
cus-convention system has come from
those who have entered and failed to
achieve. They always charge that
the caucus was packed-with their
opponents. Maybe so. But there is
a way to prevent even this.
Ward caucuses are not held in cor
ner; generally two weeks notice of
their holding is given, together with
the hour and place. All WHITE |
democrats are invited to participate.
If white democrats will do their duty
the result will be the majority wish.
These ward caucuses elect dele
gates to a city convention, where the
delegates nominate candidate for
mayor. As the office is not valuable
Tor grating purposes there have sell
com been any serious contests in these
conventions. Where there are two or
more avowed candidates for mayor,
the ward meetings generally send del
egates favorable to their majority
preference. 1t is possible. of course,
that this majority preference NAV
have been obtained by packing" the
caucus. But there would be no "pack-
ing" were all citizens willing to do
their duty. In case of a particularly
hot campaign, both sides might re-
sort to "packing," in which event the
best "packer" would win-and he !
ought to win. He would be the can
didate of the majority.
In the opinion of The News, for the {
to do away by ordinance with s
The present system for system of '
nominations by petition, would be a !
lsurpation of power-an illegal act on G
he part Of the council. We believe Il
he council can do away with the eau
us-convention system only when it
ubstitutes the primary.
Florida is a democratic state; it's
legislature is solidly democratic.
hat legislature has provided for
thite democratic primaries to take
he place of the old county conven-
ion and State (delegate) convention.
he legislature did not delegate pow
r to cities which it would not eXer-
Sc for the State.
Palatka has a democratic CITY
regularly constituted: our
,ficials are elected as democrats.
his committee has called democratic
ard meetings for the various wards
r newt Wednesday evening, March 7.
3 o'clock These ward meetings
i'll nominate the aldermen for the
riouS wards and select the delegates
which thnv are variouS1v entitled
meet on Friday NIGHT. March 9th,
8 O'Clock in the citv hall, to nomi- f'
tie mayor un
If there are any considerable num- or
y Of neOnle in Palatka of like do'
ndS who desire to name a reform Wis
ndidate. they have their oppoHuni- SUI
If they dominate the caucus. it cot
Il be theirs; if they dominate the Ca
V convention. that too will be theirs. it
But for heavens sake let US make ma
r nominations in the regular demo- abe
'tic way-by the action of white car
rs provided in the State to
Y, and not in a manner set aside hv '
: state for socialists and independ- nor
Is and raoroes. Tbirl of non1i,,o+ lar!
: candidate for mayor of Palatka wa
the petition of five pdr cent of the lie
-ers, with no regard as to whether pos
'se five Der cent shall be black. cou
ite, or mixed! Sur
The caucus may be an evil. but its the
nedy is the primary, not the peti- nea
n. thr,
And The News believes that with hon
or two possible executions the woI
lncil will so see the matter when nil,
y have taken time to consider it. ard
will
will be a saloonless citv
er Nov. 1st, following an example HaH
by Palatka several years ago. o