Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1920-02-03
FLYNT APPROVES
GEORGIA PRIMARY
FOR PRESIDENCY
Chairman Of State Demo-
cratic Committee Says
Preferential Primary Sur
est Method

/ GSl Rl6l'lOQ
Judge James ]. Flynt, chairman OF
the Democratic state executive COM
mittee, on Monday stated that he is
very much in favor of holding a pref
erential primary to determine the
choice of Georgia Democrats for the
Democratic presidential nomination.
The state executive committee will
meet IN Atlanta next Friday morn
ing, February 6, at 10 O'Clock, in the
convention hall of the kimball
House for +he purpose of deciding
what method shall prevail in deter
mining 'Georgia's choice.
Two methods OF procedure will be
considered by the c1a;mittee:
! /. Whether to have a preferential
primary, in which the Democrats OF
Georgia would make their choice
among the candidates for the Demo-
cratic presidential information, or so
many of the candidates as were en-
titled to a place on the ballot by vir-
tue of having their names filed by
|
2. Whether to have a state con-
vention Of delegates elected by the
county executive committees, THIS
convention to select the members
of Georgias delegation to the ma
tional convention, and to send them
instructed for a particular candidate
or send them without instructions,
which would leave them free, to make
| Iaiy oh 30
San Francisco. I'LL
In the newspapers Sunday appear
ed a statement by J. II. Mills, pres
ident Of the Georgia Farmers union,
strongly urging a preferential pri-
mary for Democratic presidential
candidates.
Judge Flynt's Vows
Discussing the matter Monday,
Judge Flynt, of Griffin, chairman OF
the state executive COMMITTEES, had
the following to say:
Speaking as one member of the
committee, 1 would like very much
to have a preferential primary. Ii
would afford the Democrats of Geor-
gta IN opportunity to express them
selves concerning the candidates for
the presidential nomination of their
party. and to express also their
views On certain matters Of national
party policy. 1t would remove all
doubt as to which of the candidates
was The choice of the party In
Georgia, and would enable the G,eor.
glat delegation to proceed to San
| francisco with definite instructions
Il "The only difficult that OCCURS "a
me in, connection with holding d
I preferential primary Is how to pro
vide FOR the expense + would like
for members Of the state executive
committee, and other interested
Democrats, to put their minds or
the subject and present sugs estionz
as to how to finance the cost of the
primary. l believe if this question
can be adjusted satisfactorily, there
III De nothing in the way of hold
ing q primary,
Zone suggestion has been to I'M
dertaxe to bring the counties to
.gether on q uniform date for their
county primaries, and to hold the
preferential primary on thai date,
merging the two together without
additional expense to the county
candidates. This would seem to BE-
q solution if some counties lad not
held their primaries already, and
if the others could be brought to-.
gether to agree Oh q uniform date.
The state executive committee, Of
course, would have no authority 20
require them to have the same date,
though have no doubt thai a re-
quest from the state committee
would he given due consideration.
The 1912 Primary
Georgia's last preferential pri-
mary was held in 1912, when Wood
row Wilson and Oscar Underwood
were the contesting candidates for
the nomination in this state.
Walter P. Andrews, Atlanta law
yer, who assisted iii the manage
ment OF the Wilson campaign, and
Hollins y. Randolph, Atlanta law
yer, who managed the Underwood
campaign. have the same recollec-
ton concerning the manner in which
fhe cost of that primary was
financed.
My recoliection," said Mr.. An
Grews Monday, ''iS that the state eX-
ecutive committee requested the
county executive committee to make
their own arrangements for defray-
ing the expense Of the primary, and
suggested that friends of the OPP
posing candidates would probably
be glad to volunteer their services
us managers and clerks. The mum.
Der of polling precincts was cut
down in some OF the large counties,
to. reduce the number of managers
and clerks needed. In a great ma
jority OF counties, if I remember
correctly the friends of the candl.
dates volunteered their services in
the manner suggested, and the pri-
. mary went off nicely with very lit
tie expense"
Said M. Randolph: My recol-
lection comedies with that Of Mr..
Andrews. believe the expense. of
printing the ballots was borne by
tile friends OF the candidates. The
ballots were printed under the su-
pervisioE Of the state executive
committee. and were distributed
among the counties by the state
committee. There were only a Few
counties, il remember correctly,
where it was necessary to pay the
mana ckrs and clerks, as There was q
general willingness TO serve Tor the
purpose Of enabling the Denocra tic
voters 10 express themselves"
Plans an Artificial