Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-04-03
WILSON'S NAME
WILL NOT COON
STATE BALLOT

Woodrow Wilson's name will not
go on the ballot of the Georgia pres
idential primary to be held on
April 20.
Eight Of the signers of the Wilson
petition withdrew their names
Thursday afternoon, leaving re-
mainder of less than 100 as requir-
ed by the rule. The petition origin
ally contained 105 names led off by
Henry B. Baylor. Eight withdraw
ais left 81 names.
Those withdrawing their names
were IT. NJ. Armistead, 7. M. Arm
listed, Jr., A, j. Shropshire, A. J..
Shropshire, Jr., II. H. ChamdIer, c.
J. Keith, P. H Shook and P. H. Cal
houn.
The Wilson petition was circulat-
ed by Mr.. Baylor, an Albanian, and
was signed by Atlantialle. The fol-
lowing letter was sent to Hiram l..
Gardner, secretary of the Democrat
ic state executive committee, by six
Of the signers:
1--WE note that our names appear on
a petition urging President Woodrow
Wilson to enter the presidential con-
test in Georgia. This petition was
signed by US der a misapprehen-
sion and we are writing to ask that
you strike our names from the petit
ton"
This letter was signed by H. H.
Chandler, c. J. Keith, P. II. Shook,
P. H. Calhoun, T. M. Armistead and
T. M. Armistead, Jr. The sigma
lures of A. j. Shropshire and A. j.
Shropshire, Jr., were withdrawn in a
separate communication.
The elimination of President Will
sons name from the ballot leaves on
it the names of A. Mitchell Palmer,
Hoke Smith and Thomas E. Watson,
placed upon the ballot by the Demo-
cratic state executive committee.
Preparing Ballot.
James J. Flynt, chairman Of the
state committee, and Secretary Gard
ner were in Atlanta Friday for the
purpose of preparing the official bal
lot. The committee has authorized
them to attend to this and other de-
tails of the primary. The actual
printing of the ballots will not be
by the chairman and secretary. The
chairman and SECRETARY will prepare
the form \of the ballot and send it
to the chairman and secretary of the
Democratic executive committee of
each county. The county committee
will then print the ballot according
to the official form. Where a eoun-
ty primary is held on April 20, the
day of the presidential primary, the,
presidential ballot will be a part of
the county ballot. The rulesf allow
the presidential ballot to be placed
at the top or the bottom of the coun-
ty ballot. All county executive com
mittees were requested to hold their
county primaries on April 90 ex-
cept where such primaries had been
held previous to the state committee
meeting on February 6, when the
presidential primary was ordered
But good many county committees
not complying with this request,
have gone ahead with their county
primaries since February 6, and in
these counties it will be necessary
to have special primary for presi-
Dental nominees on April 20.
The Wilson Petition
Inc wilson petition was sent to
! Secretary Gardner from Atlanta on
March 26. hmm ediately on receiving
the petition, Secretary Gardner mott
fed President Wilson that it had
| been filed, and requested him to
state whether his name should be
placed upon the ballot or left off the
ballot.
No reply was made by the pres
ident, either one way or the other.
At II o'clock Thursday, which was
the hour of the closing of the entry
list, an announcement was made
from the White House that President
Wilson had taken no steps to pre-
vent the appearance of his name on
the ballot in Georgia.
Having received no reply from the
president, it was the intention of
Chairman Flynt and Secretary Gard
ner to place his name on the ballot.
In other words, they construed his
silence as an acquiescence in the
placing of his name on the ballot.
After ~ o'clock Thursday, and
late in the afternoon. Secretary
Gardner received the above-quoted
letter from eight of the signers of
the Wilson petition withdra wing
their signatures. Acting upon these
Withdrawals, it was decided by Chair
man Flynt and Secretary Gardner to
leave the presidents name off the