Great Falls daily tribune., 1920-06-27

As this contest was being heard,
friends and opponents of Senator James
A. Reed, who. claimed a seat as dele
gate from the Fifth Missouri district,
were also busy lining up their forces.
The national committee planned to hear
the Reed case after the Georgia contest
was decided.
Although only % votes were involved
in the Georgia case, the Palmer delega-
ton is composed of so men each with
one-half vote. The opposition, known
as the Hoke Smith-Tom Watson group,
brought a delegation of 81, of whom "a
were district delegates with one vote
each and eight delegates at-large with
one-half vote each.
On motion of J. Bruce Kremer, Mon
tana each side was given 30 minutes to
present its case. 1t was agreed that the
committee go into executive session to
vote on the contests after the public
hearing.
Palmer Case Presented.
III. H. Dean, Gainesville, Ga, opened
for the Palmer delegates. He explained
there is no state law specifically cover
ing presidential preference primaries and
in such absence the rules of the Demo
cratic state executive committee should
prevail. He said the executive commit
tee unanimously agreed that the national
the friends of the delegates who received
the largest county unit vote. This agree
ment, he added, was known to all can
didates and was widely published, and
none of the presidential candidates OBJ
jected to it before the primary.
At the primary A. Mitchell Palmer re-
ceived 14S votes, Thomas Watson 132
and Hoke Smith 106. Later Mr.. Dean
said, Watson claimed he was not bound
y. arfo1t
combined with the Smith forces in nam
ing anti Palmer delegates. Dean claim
ed that the executive committee rules
under which the primary was held,
should prevail.
Howelrs Claims.
Opening for the anti-Palmer group Fl.
Fl. Perry, of GAINESVILLE, spoke of Clark
HoweIl's long service in the national
committee and of the high regard in
which he is held by its members. He
spoke of Mr.. Howell's fairness and said
he hoped the committee would not be
swayed by personal considerations, but
would consider the case on its merits.
Mr.. Perry argued that the election of
the SmithWatson delegates was regu-
lar. They were chosen by the state
conventions. which he claimed was the
parent body The credentials CT the anti
Palmer men, he said. were inaccurate
III SLHClUR ludl luPSp htltGd'FS huh DN'H
elected in pursuance of the results of
the primary. He pointed out that the
credentials of the Smith Watson men
were certified by the chairman of the
convention, while the credentials of the
opposition delegates were certified by
the secretary of the executive commit
tee.
State Convention Supreme.
Former Senator Hardwick, also op
posing the Palmer delegates, declared
the state convention was supreme and
that the state executive committee had
no power to instruct the state conven-
tions what should or should not be done.
The state convention he said, held the
same relative position to the state com
mittce as the national convention holds
to the national committee
Senator Hardwick said he always
abided by the results of primaries.
"Why didn't you abide in this pri-
mary" asked a Georgia delegate.
Because we beat you in that pri-
mary" shouted back Senator Hardwick
He claimed that Palmer received less
than one-thrd of the popular vote in
the state, though he had the most coun-
.ty unit votes and argued that it was
against democratic principles for a man
receiving less than third of the total
vote to tie the hands Of the other two
thirds.
Albert Howell, Atlanta, closing for the