Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-05-06
Georgia Democrats viii Not
Tolerate COnUention Boilers.

VuYHEN members of faction threaten
w to bolt the Forthcoming State Dem
ocratic convention unless they are
allowed to dominate it regardless of the
majority's opinions and rights, they are in
dulging in silly yet potentially harmful talk.
This convention, it is to be assumed, will be
Democratic in principle and procedure as
we'll as in name; asSuredly it must be so If
it is to speak and act for the people of
Georgia 1t will be composed of delegates
representing the three candidates in the re-
cent preferential primary, or, to put it more
exactly, representing the counties and the
voters who declared themselves for one or
the other of those candidates. Thus, on the
face of the returns, (though it should be re-
membered that there are several contests
pending, which only the Convention can
decide) the Palmer delegates will represent
fifty-three counties and a popular vote OF
48,O41; the Smith delegates, forty-six coun-
ties and popular vote of As, 344 and the
Watson delegates, fifty-siG counties and a
popular vote of 52,129. The county unit
votes of the three candidates are: Palmer,
IA; Smith, 10; and Watson, 1872. (While
these figures may be subject to certain al
terations, they are unQuestiOnably accurate
enough for the purpose of the present argu-
ment Such changes as may result from the
settlement of pending contests could serve
making.) In a convention at all democratic
Or in any wise considerate of common rights
each of these groups will be seated and each
will have its say.
This is so obviously the just and reason
able course particularly in as close con-
test as that of April the goth proved to be,
that one we'll might expect it to be adopt
ed without controversy. Unhappily, however,
there are murmurngs and churlish threats.
A certain arbitrary and really meaningless
procurement of subsection of the State
Democratic Executive Committee, known as
"Rule Ten is fished forth in support of
the claim that the Convention should be
governed, not by the majority of its dele
gates, but by a small minority. According to
Rule Ten (Which has about as much pow
in Democratic principle and precedent as
the rules of tiddledy-winks have on the
, movements of the solar system) 1.-THE dele
gates to the National Convention shall be
chosen from. the friends and supporters OF
that candidate for. president receiving the
highest county unit vote" glance will
show how preposterously unfair it would be
to apply this fiat of few subcommitteemer
to the situation that will obtain in the ap-
preaching State Convention. Of the one hun
dred and fifty-five counties represented IL
that Convention, only fifty-three at the out
most will have Palmer delegates; and of the
145, 514 voters represented, only 4S,O41
will have Palmer delegates as their spOkes
men, Yet according to the subcommittee
Interpretation of Rule Ten, all the other one
hundred and two counties and all the othe
ninety-seven thousand-odd voters should b'
utterly ignored or at best treated as mere
figureheadS. The extraordinary argumen
advanced for this over-reaching proposal il
that Mr.. Palmer has the highest number o
county units. Even that claim is but a half
TRUTH for out of the total three hundred
and eighty-siX county unit votes in thu
convention only one hundred and forty-fou1
o1a ond Mn Da1p hn
granted is ten more than that of the sec
ond candidate, and thirty-two more thai
that of the third; even so the difference i
inconspicuous. But by what standard of rea
son or right can it be contended that tn
two hundred and forty-two county uni
votes NOT for Mr.. Palmer-an excess of on
hundred above what he received-should b.
disregarded in the Conventions procedure
and decisions, should be thrust aside a
though they were ciphers and as though tn
tens OF thousands of Democratic citizen
whom they represent were political non-en
titles?
If a subcommittee could impose such
rule upon the delegates of a Democratic
convention, then it could assume any power
howsoever tyrannous, and enforce any edict
howsoever absurd 1t could abolish the Con
Vention altogether, and that is virtual
what it proposes to do in multiplying the ma
jority of the convention votes. 1t could eve
take unto itself authority to name the Geor
Sld Q0l6SdClOu 10 Dan Il rducISCO, anu CndC
substantially what it proposes to do in it
plan to make up the permanent roll of tn
State convention, deciding in advance con
tests for county delegations and usurpin
other farreaching powers which only tn
Convention itself can rightly exercise. 1t
foregone that no great Convention comm
from the people and charged with the pee
pies recently uttered will ever be man
acled by the arbitrary rule of a sub-com
mittee which represents nothing more tina
the opinion and interest of some half
dozen individuals. Certainly no Conventio
that surrendered its own and the electorate
rights to any such dictation would be true t
the traditions of Georgia Democracy Q
mindful OF the party's welfare in these day
Of crucial test.
Yet the rumor is afloat that certain fac
tionists are disposed to break away fro1
the accredited Convention and set up pre-
tended authority for themselves, unless tn
Convention will suffer them to exercise tn
discriminatory and oppressive power
Rule Ten" The Journal cannot bring itse
to believe that any considerable number
delegates are Of this unreasonable inclins