Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-05-01

That the Palmer forces in the state
convention to be held May IL are
planning to claim the right of nam
ing all delegates to the San Fran
cisco convention and to name no man
as delegate unless he supported the
attorney general in the recent pri-
mary, was plainly indicated We'd
nesday by the action of the sub-com-
mittee on rules of the Democratic
state executive committee at its
meeting held here for the purpose of
consolidating the returns and declar-
ing the result of the primary.
The Palmer supporters will base
their claim on Rule 10 adopted by
the state executive committee for the
presidential primary. This rule pro-
vides that the delegates to the ma
tional convention shall be selected
from the supporters Of that candl-
date for president who received the
highest county unit vote in the prI-
mary" They claim this rule is bind
ing on the convention in its selec-
ton of the delegates to San Fran
cisco.
Not only are the Palmer forces
planning to claim the right OF nam
ing the delegates under Rule III, but
if necessary they will withdraw from
the convention and hold convention
of their own and name a ser of dele
gates and send them to San Fran
cisco to contest the delegates. named
by the convention from which they
withdrew, it was further Indicated
Wednesday.
When the subcommittee met to con-
solldate the returns and declare the
result of the primary, Secretary
Hiram L. Gardeners figures showed
81 counties with a unit vote of 14S
for Palmer; So counties with a unit
vote of $50 for Watson, and "A coun-
ties with unit vote of LOG for Hoke
Smith.
Row Counties Went
Notice of a contest was filed by J.
R, Smith, representing Senator
Smith, of the delegates selected in
Atkinson and Murray counties. He
claimed that Atkinson county was
carried by Smith; that the, county
executive committee SO declared the
result, and elected Smith delegates.
on the day following the primary;
that subsequently a minority of the
county executive committee held an
other meeting without notice and Sc
lected Palmer delegates and issued
credentials signed by the chairman
of the county committee. He fur
Their claimed that Murray county was
awarded TO Palmer by throwing out
a precinct overwhelmingly carried by
Smith for the reason that the re-
turns from that precinct were few
minutes late in being delivered to
the county executive committee on
the day following the primary, the
delay being caused by a late train
In addition to these two contests,
Benjamin M. Blackburn, acting in
behalf of Thomas f. Watson, filed
notice that he might contest the
delegates from Chatham, Echols, Ell
bert, Fulton and Lee counties. In
Chatham, he said. the name of Wat
son was erased from the ballot. In
Lee, he said, the name Of Watson
was left off entirely. Chatham went
for Palmer and Lee for Smith. In
Echols the result was in doubt on
account of the failure to get any
official returns, he said; in Ebert
the county was first announced tor
Watson and then changed to Palmer
by five OF six votes; in Fulton he
heard there was one precinct thrown
out with forty or more votes for
Watson.
Rules Upheld
When these contests or notices OF
contests had been filed with the sub
committee, the question was whether
the subcommittee should hear the
contests and decide them, or should