Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-03-16
Gainesville TOPS
LIST Of OPPONENTS
TO PRIMARY RULE
John 7, Norris Predicts Split
in Party if Subcommittee
Persists in Barring Her.
bert Hoover

bert Hoover
RY ROGERS WINTER
(Ths Journals stan Correspondent
CARTERSVILLE, Ga, March 10.
of all the places in Georgia Wis
tied by The Journal correspondent,
where the action OF the subcommit-
tee in shutting Hoover out of the
primary is condemned, Gainesville
heads the list.
Going out in the business districts
and taking the citizens as they
came, talking politics with them and
asking their views on the subcom-
mittee's action, 1t was reminiscent
of the practical unanimity of senti-
ment encountered last week in
Athens, where one of the strongest
Hoover sentiments in the state is
rampant against the high-handed
proposition that Democrats are not
capable of exercising a sound politt-
cal judgment in their own primary.
One of the first men interviewed
by This Journal correspondent was
John T. Norris, a prominent lawyer
and insurance man, and president
of the Joe Brown club in this county
in the well-renenbered days of a
former campaign. Mr.. Norris gave
his views right off the bat. He was
in a hurry and did not have long to
talk, but he gave the correspondent
a large earful in very few minutes.
IF the subcommittee persists in
this attitude" said he, sit is liable
to split the Democratic party in
he
can in the next election. It will
force many good Democrats to stay
away from the polls and not vote in
the preferential primary, and to
that extent will make a farce Of the
whole procedure. I have just read
Judge Cobb's interview in The Jour-
nal last week and read it again. I
had received a letter from him ex-
pressing similar views, and his in
tervfew went into the subject more
exhaustively than did, his letter. His
argument cannot be answered. It
seems to be plain by this time that
the subcommittee is not going to
rescind its action unless forced to do
go by a vote of the whole state ex-
ecutive committee, the committee
win make serious mistake if it re-
fuses ito have a meeting to consider
the matter fairly and squarely on
its merit. The referendum sent out
by chairman Flynt was not a ref
erendum, but an argument. am
< for Hoover because I think he can
win for the Democrats in the next
presidential election, and that is a
great deal more than I can say for
hasa ghost of show to win
other viswah
Judge John Henry wikIe, a promi-
nent lawyer Of long and distinguished
standing at the local bar, had this
to say: 8
II think the name Of Hoover should
by all means go on the ballot. L am
willing to risk the Democrats OF
Georgia to express>an untrammeIled
preference for the nominee of their
party for president. If they are not
capable Of doing that, then we had
better abolish the primary system"
Paul Gilreath, a prominent bust
ness man and former mayor, express
ed himself with the utmost frankness
and vigor. He said: "The action of
the subcommittee is high-handed
outrage. II I expressed my real SEN
timents they would not look we'll in
print. That certainly was an inter-
esting roll call of the Georgia branch
Of the department of justice at the
: kimbal house Saturday. If there
was an officer or important employe
of the department absent from the
meeting, was not able to de-
tect it in a reading of the list of those
present. Maybe they can cram Mr.
Palmer down the threats of our peo-
pie, with his unqualified Endorsement
of every official act Of the Wilson ad-
ministration, but I do not think so. 1
think \the state will go Republican
before it will swallow such a dose.
President Wilson has many great
achievements to the credit of his ad-
ministration, but there are some
things in it that cannot indorse.''
Another prominent Gainesville
man who expressed himself along
the same lines was Paul S. Aiken, a
lawyer and leading citizen. lie re-
CARDS the action of the subcommit-
tee as an offense that is liable to re-
suit seriously for the Democratic
party in Georgia. It is beyond his
comprehension that the subcommit-
tee should attempt to defend itself
in refusing to allow the Democrats
of Georgia to vote as they please in
their own. primary.
Wants to Vote for Hoover
The Journal correspondent asked
J. W. knight, president of Bank of
Gainesville, and of the knight Mer-
camille company, one of the leading
business men Of this section. how he
was going to vote in the presidential
primary.
81 would vote for Hoover" said
he, 'if the subcommittee would dc
me kindness to let me vote as
want to vote. But apparently they
think am not capable of exercising
a sound political discretion. There
are lots Of Hoover supporters here
We regard him as the most available
candidate our party could nominate
Maybe we will have to put a Hoover
man in the primary and vote for him
as our choice by proxy if somebody
will lead the fight for a free Demo
cratic expression"
w. w. Galloway. sheriff of Barlow
county, and one Of the most popu-
lar men in this section. told the
!. journal correspondent:
You can put me, down in the
Hoover column, brother, and I hope
you win the fight to get his name
ON the ballot
A similar expression came from
George Gaddis, a prominent farmer
from Cassville, in the northern pan
of the county. He said he would
vote for Hoover if he were allowed
ito do so, and believes the farmer:
gin his section would do the same,
Editorial Campaign
One of the strongest editorial cam
t'paigns in the state is being waget
by the Tribune-News, of Gainesville
in behalf of the right of Democrat:
to vote without dictation in theil