The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-09-26
QUALIFY AND VOTE.


The chairman of the DuvaI County
Democratic Executive Committee,
George NJ. Price, in a formal state
ment as the head Of the party organ
ization in that county, Is calling upon
the democratic voters TO register and
be qualified to vote In the November
election. Mr.. Price. in his statement,
says: ITO my mind Ne are confronted
with serious condition in Duval
county
when the registration books for
the primary closed the white demo-
Gratis had a majority over the repub-
licans in the End ward of only 121; In
the 9Th ward of only 327, in the 7th
ward OF only IL. in the 8th ward Of only
2 and in the 18th ward of only liz.
They now control the End and 8th
wards. / am reliably informed that
since the books have opened for the
general election the republicans have
REGISTERED in sufficient numbers to
overcome the lead of the democrats in
three of the above wards, and have
reduced the democratic majority very
materially in the others named.
when the books closed for the pri-
mary there were 1922 republicans and
negroes qualified to vote in Duval
county.
"Since the books opened for the gen.
eral election do not know how many
white republicans have registered, or
how many negro men have registered,
but there have been over 1000 negro
women to register.
81 think the time has come for the
democrats of Duval county to be in
formed, for them to know the truth
about conditions. / think that the
democrats should study the above
figures.
at is not my idea that the white
men and women should register simply
to overcome the negro or republican
vote. / think our people should regis
ter and vote because it is their great
est privilege, and highest civic duty.
But sometimes men and women may
forget their rights and duties, unless
other matters are called to their atten-
ton
In the present registration negro
women in Duval county are outnum-
bering the white women. The demo-
Gratis of Jacksonville are aroused, and
one of the features Of their campaign
for registration took the form of a
great mass meeting at which Cary
Hardee, governor elect, was one Of the
principle speakers.
But, while It is true that in Duval
county, so far, negro women outnum-
Der the white women. in registering,
this does not seem to be the case in
other parts of the state.
In st. Petersburg, out of 375 per-
sons registered in the six registration
precincts, 276 were women. with only
four negro women reported and twelve
negro men. At the last municipal cleo
ton the st. Petersburg women far out
number the men in registered mad cast
a large vote.
In Dade county it is stated by reg
istration Officer Holmer that the wom-
en- are outnumbering the men,. Mr..
Holmer declared that he believed reg
istrations would reach 5000 by Octo-
Der 16, making a possible vote Of nine
to ten thousand.
There are in Dade county forty six
thousand persons, according to the
Miami Herald, half of whom. or TWEEN
| ty-three thousand, are adults, and all
eligible to register, with only seven
thousand names, old and new, on the
books, leaving sixteen thousand not
registered.
many towns in the state. The people
are blind to their duty. Some plead
mo interest in politics." others do not
want to pay poll tax, all of these in
different thousands are negligent of
their duty.
If the white men and women in
Duval county, and in Dade county, and
in Escambia county, and in every other
county In Florida do their duty and go
to the polls and vote, this state will be
safe for democracy. No one can doubt
that. And If they fail in that duty,
they give their sanction to republican
rule In this state. There can be no
half measures in this. The way is
plain. If you want to see democracy
in the saddle. qualify and vote. If
you do not, you will be 3 party to mis-
rule in this state just as truly as If
you had aligned yourself with the re-
publican party. There can be no half
measures.