The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-02-11
THE PARTY PLATFORM.

PARTY PLAIFUhN'
Much discussion has been aroused because OF tn'
requirement. of the voters in the next primary ai'
down by the state executive committee that the!
shall believe in the principles of the democratic
party" OF this the Tampa Tribune says:
so far as Florida is concerned we are then
to hold to the principle of free and uniimiteu
coinage of silver at the ratio of 16 to l. Tor that
is the last party enunciation made in TINS state.
Certainly that resolution forces man TO slt
out and etrude and evert the flacid tissues or
long dead issues" Certainly, also, that reso-
luton does not presuppose we are individually
able to tell whether article x" or the league
covenant as it stands. Shantung, or Fiume
are principles of the democratic party"
But perhaps we are just up against IT Ike
aptoists in the town where the traffic cop goes
to dinner and puts out sign, Use your judy
ment."
One thing is certain. the committee played
safe far as telling what is democrat is
concerned. Another thing is certain that we
will have to.,measure would-be registrants by
the 16-to1 yardstick because the Florida pri-
mary comes June 8, and the national convention
comes June 2S and until the national convention
adopts another platform and points out new
systems whereby a budding democrat may be
classified before he blooms, we will have to
live in the past so far as politics and platforms
is concerned
Commenting the fact that "a democratic pri
mary should be participated in only by democrats
and declaring that 1.-The who register for i
should not be required to take any pledges that thu
candidates not required to take" the Times
Union says:
I'VE think republican participation in demo-
cratic primaries has been largely overestimated
and the greater part of it has been the fault Of
candidates for the democratic nomination
friends of candidates In many cases republicans
have been invited to vote. by the they
would vote for by their friends,
Then again there are many in Florida
who could not be rigidly classified by their votes
republicans or democrats. The principles that
divide the parties are national and the men we
refer to republicans because they believe in
the principles of the republican party But many
Of them if not the majority of them who take
part in democratic primaries realize the neces-
sty Of democratic control of the state govern
ment and have hibt of voting for a republican
for president These men should not participate
in the primaries of either party and should not
be permitted to. for a party nomination should
be made by straight party vote.
But requirements for participation should be
uniform. A FIoridian could run for the demo-
cratic nomination for senator without taking an
oath that he would support all the nominees of
the party provided he did not live in Jackson
vile, Tampa or Pensacola for only the voters of
these cities required to take this oath In
other parts of the state voters do not have to
register for each election and they are already
registered as democrats without taking sucr
oath. So we find that man running for the
democratic nomination in Florida not living in
one Of the larger cities might be nominated and
elected without pledging himself to support all
the nominees of the party while citizen in one
OF these cities would not have the privilege of
voting in the nomination without taking sucb an
oath.
IF the executive committee has the power tn
add to the qualifications prescribed by law thew
should nave required only that an applicant for
registration swear that he was democrat Rut
without adding to the requirements If coud
nave provided for the appointment of challengers
10 challenge the votes of any men not demo-
Gratis who might apply. Men could be selected
who would know the politics of all who would
vote and if a republican appeared in a demo-
cratic primary he could be CHALLENGED and re-
CURED to swear that he did not vote against anv
democratic nominee in the last election or foil,
ing TO take that oath, he could be refused ner
mission to vote. This would remedy the trouhla
and it would make the same requirement of
ALL"