Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-03-20
Flouting the Party's Voters
ind IGNORING Its Leaders

r their meeting in Atlanta on
IN Wednesday the rule-makers of the
n Georgia Democratic Executive Com
mittee again refused to alter that arbitrary
regulation by which the partys rank ana 1le
are denied their essential rights at the polls.
In spite of petitions from hundreds of Demo-
Gratis as loyal as the Solid South ever mus
tered, in spite of the well-nlgh unanimous
apueal of the States Democratic press, IN
spite of public protest in every county
from the mountains to the sea, the
subcommittee reasserted its censorship ana
dictation. It reaffirmed in ERECT, It's RI
diculous doctrine that it is not the right OF
the voters, but Che prerogative OF seven
committeeman, to decide who is worthy OF
Democratic suffrage. 1t ignored the plainest
principles on which the party OF JEFFERSON
is founded, and, in SO far as its power ex-
tends, reduced Georgia's presidential primary
from free expression Of the peoples Will to
the puppetry of wretched farce.
Tn taking this final action the subcom-
mittee did not show the public the courtesy
of announcing that a meeting was to be held'
although the pubHc's vital interests In Tue
ballot box were involved.
Such procedure may be satisfactory to pol
iticians who are bent upon sewing up
primary for some hand-picked candidate OF
age hunters who, thinking they have found
the lucky scent to office spoils, grow blind
and deaf to the peoples interests. 1t may
be- satisfactory to partisan contrivers who I'M
agine that the public can be bound and
gagged like CULVER with petty schemes
But to the great body of Georgia Democrats,
lovers of liberty and fair play, it is indefensl-
ble If the Democratic party in this good
Commonwealth is still party of thinking
freemen and not merely a flock of political
sheep, then the issue Of the peoples right at
the polls will never be settled until it is set
tied right.
The Journal is Of this opinion, not be-
cause of any special interest," OF 1ts own US,
sole interest in the matter being That OF the
average Democrat who wants to see prlncl-
ple indicated, his party rightly guided ana
his country we'll served), but because the
committees autocracy has brought down the
condemnation of the most representative
men in every clan Of Georgia's Democratic
ranks. It has been condemned by such lead
ers as Editor Henry M. Mcintosh, of the Al
bany Herald, as stalwart a Democrat as ever
fought the party's battles; by Hon. Pleasant
A. Stovall, editor of the Savannah Press,
former Minister to Switzerland, answering
supporter of the Wilson administration, and
now chairman of the Palmer campaign COM
mittee: by Hon. Hoke Smith, Georgias senior
United States Senator, who during the mem
orable years Of his Governorship made the
guarantee of the freedom and integrity Of
the white primary one of his chief detectives;
by former Governor Joseph M Brown, who on
divers issues has taken a position opposed
to Senator Smiths, but who in the present
instance sees there is really but one side for
an open-minded Democrat to take; by Colo
mel II. H. Perry, of Hall, Democrat Of
Statewide distinction and lifelong loyalty;
by Judge Andrew J. Cobb, of Athens, that
poised and broad-visioned jurst, an exem-
plar Of all that is knightliest in the South's
treasured traditions; and condemned, I'M
sparingly condemned, by scores and hum
dreds Of other representative Georgians who
interpret the thought and respect the rights
of the rank and file. The Journal does not
believe that any political coterie can success
fully defy such an array of public sentiment
and conviction. There is no animus against
the committee itself, but there is a reasoned,
a determined and a Statewide resentment
against its reputation Of the partys plain
est principles and the peoples basic rights.
Is it to be imagined that such a mass and
momentum of public sentiment can prove in
effectual?