Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-05-18
Let Justice PreVaI in
The STATE ConUentt0n

An outstanding responsibility of the
~ State Democratic Convention which
- meets in Atlanta next Tuesday to Sc
lect the Georgia delegation to San Francisco
will be the settlement of certain contests IN
yolving about twelve counties and some
twenty-siX county unit votes. This undoupt-
eddy is the Conventions prerogatlve ana
duty, no Executive committee or subcommlt-
tee having jurisdiction in such matters
either by precedent or by right. Moreover,
Judge Walker, by continuing a restraining
order already granted, has enjoned the COM
mittee from any interference with the state
Conventions selection of Presidential dele
gates. We cannot believe that the commit
tees members will seek to violate this in
junction; but if they did, their action would
be- void. The contests are highly important
because not until they are decided can it be
said for certainty who holds the Convention
plurality. For all three candidates the re-
suits Of the primary were remarkably close,
there being on face of the returns difference
of hardly more than thirty-odd unit votes be-
tween the highest and the lowest. 1t is appa
rent that no probable readjustment will alter
the relative Standing in so far as Senator
Smith is concerned, though several counties
not officially credited to him are claimed by
his friends. Between his two opponents, Mr..
Palmer and Mr.. Watson, however, the coun-
ties and votes for which contests are pending
are such that few changes would materially
OF the Conventions responsibility in this
adjudication.
There is but one rule by which the con-
tests should be judged, the simple rule Of
reason and fair play. The candidate to
whom the evidence shows the questioned
votes belong should be awarded them, re-
CARELESS of partisan or personal considera-
lions. Each case should be decided upon it's
merits without reference to Interior
ends or political fortunes. Not enc vote to
which Mr.. Palmer is entitled should be de-
MED him. Not vote to which Mr.. Wat
son is entitled should be denied Mr.. Watson
Not one vote to which Senator Smith is en-
titled should be denied Senator Smith. First
last and always let justice be done, no matter
whom it helps or hurts. Proceeding upon
this principle, the Convention will have d
minimum of discord and will emerge from
its difficult problems clean-handed and ap-
proved. Otherwise it stands in peril of be-
coming hopelessly entangled, and of sowing
resantments that will yield the party MANY
harvest of thorns.
Touching the interests of Thomas E. Wat
son, The Journals readers will bear witness
that never in the last fourteen years has
this newspaper been found accordant with
the policies of the gentleman from McDuf-
fie. Back in what now seems an almost
antedeluyian past, the storms and changes
of the crowded interval being remembered,
Mr.. Watson upon occasion was found
accordant with policies of The Journal; we
mean the campaign Of 1906. Necessarily
that was short-lived relationship; Mr.. Wat
son would not tarry with us, and we of
course, would not go with him. Some said
we transgressed in even so brief conforming
Howbeit, from that long-gone day to this
our distance from him has been as great !
that OF which the Psalmist spoke in saying,
AS far as the east is from the west so far
hath he removed our transgression from u.s. -
Especially marked has been the difference
between Mr.. Watson and The Journal on ma
tional issues incident to the World War
Virtually everything we have advocated, from
Selective Service to the League of Nations
he has opposed Nor can we now concur
in the clean bill which leading Palmer Or
gan. granted him on the morning after the
April primary. Ingratiatingly and with pol
itics aforethought, our contemporary, which
had been vehement in abuse of Senator
Smith, declared
s'While Mr. Watson disagreed with
the Democratic administration concern
ing the League of Nations, his voice and
pep have been consistently arrayed in be-
half of every measure necessary to sus-
tain the national honor and to support
our soldiers in the war with Germany"
We frankly marvel at the acrobatics of {
mind which while supporting Wilson cabI
net member for President can bring itself tt
this Endorsement! It is worth recalling
moreover that in 1912, in the primary pre-
cedng Mr. Wilson's first nomination, tn
Ioudest trumpeters in the Palmer ranks to
+"~ Were leagued with Thomas E. Watson
s.~-1nst the great statesman who becam
President despite their bitter efforts t.
crush him at Baltimore. They but re
member those Ndays and that alliance whel
they enter the Convention in Atlanta mex
Tuesday to meet again him with whom the.
then bargained and whose orders they MIN
bly, obeyed. We hope they will relish tn
renewed acquaintance.
Having had such utilization with MI
Watson as these gentlemen sought and sus
tanned as long as they could serve thel
political ends thereby, and having no pot o
it's own to boil at the forthcoming State Con
vention, The Journal feels that it can speal
impartialy of the contests awaiting settle
ment. We differ as emphatically as eve
before with Mr.. Watson's views on the up
permost issues of the time; we censure a
emphatically his attitude toward certain
great war measures; we regret as deeply tina
he was ever brought into the Presidential
primary-and in all likelihood he would no
have been, if enemies of Hoke Smith ha