Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-03-20
WILKES DEMOCRATS
READY To FIGHT
FOR BALLOT RIGHTS.
BY ROGERS WINTER
STAFF Correspondent OF The Journal)


WASHINGTON, Ga, March 49,
Here in a community whose origin
goes back to the colonial days of
Georgia history, rich in the traditions
of the ante-bellum south, intensely
loyal to the party of their fathers,
the action Of the subcommittee on
rules of the Democratic state eXecu-
tive committee in Manipulating the
names to be submitted to the Demo-
cratic voters in the preferential pri-
mary is resented with a greater de-
gree of indignation than The Jour
nal correspondent has encountered
anywhere else in the state.
Not only is the sentiment strong
for Herbert Hoover, with many of
the leading men of the county out
spokenly supporting him for the
Democratic presidential nomination,
but the feeling against the subcom-
mittees denial of the fundamental
rights Of Democratic voters is lit
orally throbbing with the hot blood
of true southerners who hold that
question of principle is at stake,
and are ready to fight for the en-
forcement of their rights.
us the subcommittee going to pay
any attention to the wave of pro-
test?" was one of the first questions
propounded to The Journal CORE
spondent by group Of prominent
Wilkes county Democrats who quick
ly assembled in response to tele-
phone calls.
They were informed that the in
dications point to a continued and
persistent refusal by the subcom-
mittee to yield to a demand that
has come up from every section of
the state.
Then we are ready to fight" they
said. 1--WE are not going to stand
for such treatment. We will take any
steps that are necessary, within the
bounds Of Democratic propriety, to
enforce our rights. We will ask
our county executive committee to
place Mr.. Hoover's name on the bal
lot, and will carry the county for
him and send Hoover delegates to
the state convention, or we will cir
culate a petition to place on the
ballot the name of some Georgian
who will lead our fight"
What Name to User
This brought up a discussion of
the right name to use in the event
it should become necessary to vote
for Herbert Hoover "by proxy" in
the Georgia presidential primary.
IF we cannot vote for Mr.. Hoo
yer direct" said Colonel Frank H.
Colley, one of the most prominent
lawyers in this part of the state,
and a red-hot Hoover supporter,
then we are going to vote for him
by proxy. That is to say, we are
going to ask some Georgian to con-
sent to the use of his name 81 the
ballot for. the purpose Of leading our
fight for free expression. We do
not want to run contrary to what
the Hoover supporters in other coun-
ties are contemplat ting, but we are
getting impatient for action. It'll
looks to us like a little handful of
politicians Of the Hub Dean type are
determined to deny us our rights,
al we're not going to stand for it.
We are ready to Join the Hoover
men all over the state in making
whatever fight seems most advisable
to enforce our rights"
Numerous names were mentioned,
lnCIuQlng 1nOS0 OF Colonel H. H.
Perry, Of Gainesville; Judge An
drew Cobb, of Athens; J. r. Smith,
of DeKalb county; Senator Hoke
Smith, and Others.
The consensus Of opinion was that
Senator Smith was the proper man
to lead the fight. Present in the
group of men in Colonel Col1ey's Of
flee were Hoke Smith supporters
and Hoke Smith opponents q former
days, but when it came to the ques-
ton of getting leader to make
fight for principle, all were willing
and ready to sign q petition placing
his name on the ballot, and to sign a
letter to be addressed to him re-
questing him to consent to the use
of his name.
"cou1d Garry the State"
I'VE believe Herbert Hoover would
carry the state If his name were
placed on the ballot said F. G.
Booker, a prominent lawyer and
eight years member of the Geor-
gia house Of representatives from
Wilkes county.
"But If the subcommittee persists