Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-09-07
$4,000 VOTES ARE
LIKELY To De CAST
IN STATE PRIMARY

That 225,O00 votes will be polled
in the primary next Wednesday is
the general belief among men famil-
lar with the political situation. Some
competent authorities predict that
the vote will go even higher. A vote
OF 225,OOO would be one Of the larg-
est ever polled in Georgia.
There is no doubt that the people
are keyed up to the highest pitch of
interest throughout the state in the
senatorial race and the gubernatorial
race. The candidates say they never
took part in a campaign where the
people were more anxious to hear
the issues discussed. Travelling men
say the people are talking politics
everywhere in Georgia.
Speaking tours of the senatorial
and gubernatorial candidates will
continue right up to the closing hour.
Senator Smith will speak Monday
Tuesday morning at Jefferson. and
on Tuesday afternoon at Marietta,
Governor Dorsey will speak on Mon
day at Madison. Greensboro and Au-
gusta, and on. Tuesday at Lawrence
Vile and Griffin. Mr.. Watson speaks
wick will speak on Monday at Rome
and Lindale: Mr.. Walker on Monday
at Decatur and Lithonia; Mr.. Holder
on Monday at the Hanson Motor COM
pany, East Atlanta, Marietta street
and Howell Mill road and Monday
AS the date of the primary draws
near, interest among the politicians
approaches fever heat The Kim
ball house lobby is getting SO crowd
MUM, and the play. and counter-play
Of the partisans, booming the for
tunes of their respective candidates.
rolls and reverberates through the
corridors.
women Are Ineligible
Interest among the women was
raised to high pitch by the possibility
of their voting on the strength of
Attorney General Denny's opinion
that they did not have to comply
However. the subcommittee on rules
of the Democratic state executive
committee, at a meeting Friday night,
decided that the women would not
be admitted to vote in the primary.
+. The Neill primary law, governing
all party Ra Urinary an be held In
accordance with the county unit rule.
That is to say. the candidate rece1v-
ing the highest vote in county
Is entitled to the delegates from thaI
county in the state convention anu
agtes as the number Of its representa-
tives in the lower house Oh the gen
eral assembly! -
In the convention, in the case OF
a contest where more than two can
didates participated. plurailty OF
county unit (delegate) votes wins tne
nomination, except for governor ana
United States senator. The Ne1ll law
requires a majority OF county runfft
votes to nominate for those two OIL
fcers Where more than two can
didates are contesting for those Oh
fees, and none receives a malority Oh
the county unit votes. the Neill law
held throughout the state" on the
first Wednesday in October, when
this year falls on the 9Th OF the
month. The date of the state conven-
ton is not fixed by the NeiH law
except in the event of a turnover
primary being necessary. In Wh1ch
case the law provides that the con-
yention shall not be held earlier than
fifteen days after the date of the run
over primary.
This peculiar system of conduct
Ing primaries makes it possible for
candidate receiving a minority OF
the popular vote of the state as
jority of the county unit votes, and
thereby obtain the nomination.
For example, if Thomas E. Wat.
son should received 40 per cent of
the votes in Fulton county. and the
other so per cent should be divided
equally between Senator Smith and
Governor Dorsey the county. would
ton delegates would be bound by the
law to vote for him in the conven-
ton. Or if Watson received 40 per
cent, Smith 80 per cent and Dorsey
CONTINUED on Page 8, Column 81