Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1919-05-28
BROUCH WILL
DECIDE LATER
ON ELECTION
Thirty Local Men Interview
Governor.
SAY CONSTITUTION
CALLS FOR ELECTION
Senator Greed Caldwell and r.
IIa,is Nixon Act as
Spokesman.

! To the delegation of 80 local men
who yesterday morning presented
petitions signed by about 1000 quail
fled white voters OF this county ask
, ing for a special election TO deter
mine a successor for j. r. Parsons,
county treasurer, deceased, Governor
Brough announced that he would in
form himself the thoroughly of the
situation and would obtain advice of
eminent counsel whose decision he
felt he could rely upon and would
come to a decision in few days.
II. Havis Nixon presented the petit
tions to the governor, and with State
Senator Greed Caldwell, was spokes-
man for the petitioners. He COM
mented on various phases of the sit
uation in connection with the treasur-
ership, among other things, laying
stress on the fact that the matter
was not question of personality, but
solely question of compliance with
the direct words of the constitution.
He concluded his presentation of he
petitions by saying: 81 hold in my
hands petitions bearing the signatures
of more than 1900 of the $500 white
democratic voters who would be eli
gible under the law to cast ballot
if an election were called. This is a
basis for the belief that at least 400 of
the remaining 600 would have signed
the petitions had they been presented
to them.
Petitioners Are Supporters.
"These petitions were signed by
Iox or,s{ l..
emily supported you in both of YOUR
races-by almost the solid official life
of jefferson county
"You have taken IAN oath to admin
lister the affairs of the governors of
flee according to the law and consti-
tuition. The constitution in so many
words, provides that if a vacancy oc-
cur in county office six months be-
fore the next general election. the
governor shall call special election
to fill the same.
"The supreme court has said that
if the governor failed to do so, he
would be derelict in the discharge of
his duty. 1t is being charged that GER
tain influences were at work in this
matter that are strong enough to
cause YOU to refuse to grant the al
most solid request of the people af-
fected, including great majority of
your own friends; an influence strong
enough to cause YOU to fail to observe
your oath of office or to comply with
the constitutional law of your state.
II together with these 1000 petit
TONERS and representatives will await
your decision to see if such charge is
we'll founded"
Cites Court Ruling.
State Senator Creed Caldwell as
sured the governor that vast ma
iority of his friends and voters of
jefferson county desired special
election. He also pointed out that it
was at one time the holding of the
supreme court that the governor could
not even appoint an officer to fill an
office temporarily but later modified
it's decision granting that power, but
always indicating very clearly that it
was the positive duty of the governor
to call a special election occasions
such as has arisen in jefferson coun-
ty.
The governor received the petition
ers very cordially, and evidenced his
u'!loeI sincerity III an effort TO prop
erlv adjust the situation.
Members Of the opposition to the
calling of the special election who
had been invited to attend the confer
ence with the governor were not pres
emit, though it had been expected by
the petitioners that they would be
present to thresh the matter out.
The conference lasted an hour and
half.