The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-01-24
DEMOCRATS in
CONVENTION
NATIONAL COMMITTEEMAN sUG-
GESTS DELEGATES SHOULD BE
CHOSEN AT THE REGULAR JUNE
PRIMARY.

]. t. G. Crawford of Jacksonville.
Florida member of the Democratic
National Committee, in a letter TO
George p. Raney of Tampa, chairman
Of the State Executive Committee. sug-
gests that the delegates to the National
Convention TO be held at San Francis
co. June 2s. he selected at the regular
June primary In discussing the diff
ficuIty in canvassing the returns in the
short period intervening between the
June primary and the convention date,
Mr.. Crawford explains the situation in
detail His letter follows:
Hon. George +. Raney. Chairman,
state Democratic Executive Committee
Tampa. Florida.
Dear Sir:
In my official capacity as the Florida
member OF the Democratic National
Committee, / beg TO advise you and
the members OF your Committee that
the Democratic National Convention
has been duly called to convene in the
| City OF San Francisco. California, at
twelve o'clock. noon. on the 28th day
of June next.
| Under the primary laws OF this state,
/ the manner of selecting delegates 10
represent the State in the National
Convention is optional with your Com
mittee, that is to say, your Committee
| can, by resolution, require the selec-
ton of delegates in the primary cleo
ton to be held on the Sth of June, or
they can adopt some other methods.
| Only twenty days intervene between
our primary and the assembling or the
Convention. 1 am advised that lrve
days are required for the journey to
San Francisco. We have only fifteen
days within which to canvass the vote
1 and proclaim the result, in the event
Iyour Committee should decide to in
clude the delegates in the primary.
i 1 am advised by the Secretary of
State that twenty days interviewed be-
tween the primary day and the can
vass in the elections held in 1914 and
1916 and seventeen days in 1916 This
means that the complete returns did
not reach Tallahassee until thesa
days
This year we will have a full ticket,
and in the regular order of things, it
is not likely that the complete returns
would reach Tallahassee before the
day of the Convention assemblies in
San Francisco, but / am of the opinion
that with the cooperation and assis-
the State Committee, this difficulty
can be easily avoided.
The law requires the County Can
wasting Boards to meet on the sixth
day after the primary. and sooner If
all precinct returns are in. This. at
the latest, viii be Monday, the 14th OF
the month. BY canvassing the re-
turns as to delegates only (in which
there is no second choice voting) the
canvass can easily be completed and
mailed to Tallahassee in one day. In
this way all the returns would be in
Tallahassee not later than Thursday
the 18th. or Friday, the 18th The
successful candidates can be notified
by wire from the State Board. and be
ready to start for the Convention a
fun week ahead of the meeting date.
L have ascertained from a majority
of the State Canvassing Boards that
they will make the canvass of the par
tial returns and certify the result L
will put the names thus selected on the
temporary rol-call of the Convention.
and even though the regularity of the
proposed proceeding be questioned, the
delegates thus selected cannot be I'M
seated, for the reason that no one else
would have superior right
1 am submitting, herewith, a form
or resolution which, in my opinion
will meet the situation fully, and in
sure the selection of delegates by the
primary method.
| Very truly yours,
J. 7. @. Crawford.
| National Democratic