The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1922-05-24
WILD NIGHT AND MANY
THRILLS I'm STATE CONVENTION
John Gary Evans Platform Had Rough
Shedding but Came Through With
Its Main Features. Gov. Cooper


(By A. M. Carpenter in Spartanburg
fIerald.)
Columbia, S. c., May 1S-The state
democratic convention adjourned sine
ole at $40 o'clock this morning, after
more than seven hours Of wrangling.
most OF which was over non essentials
and some OF which reached the stage
OF real bitterness, it was wild nigh.
some or the women delegates left
ABOUT midnight, but more OF them
stuck it out until the close An all
night session Of a political convention
is trying on the best Of nerves, but it
must be said that most of the women
VINO stuck 1t out appeared to be in
better shape than some Of the men.
aithough an experience of the kind is
not the best thing in the world for
some modern compilations.
The Trouble Starts
Ihe trouble started at the begin
ming of the night session, which was
called to order at o'clock, when the
committee on rules recommended to
othe convention several changes in
I, the rules for conducting the Primaries
ana IN organizing the precinct clubs
The amendments appeared to be un-
important On their face and would
nave gone through without trouble IL
Delegate Eugene Blease, Of Newberry.
had not made the point that the rules
governing the primaries had been en-
acted into the statute law Of the state
and that a state democratic convention
could not amend or repeal an act Of
the legislature. The point was made
that If the convention should change
the rules, and the people should go by
the amended rules, they would be
guilty of violating law of the state
and would be liable to fine ano I'm
Drisonment. The proposed amend
ments were all voted down and the
convention adopted resolution ask
ing the legislature to give the conven-
tion more latitude in changing the
party rules, but this was not done
until after about four hours Of de-
bate.
Charleston Wanted 1t
The amendments were all proposed
by the Charleston delegation, headed
by Mayor John P. Grace. One of the
amendments provided that a county
democratic executive, committee in
counties having cities OF more than
10000 population could establish ad-
Ink IN II,
voting strength. Each club would
have a member Of the county execu-
tive committee, OF course. The effect
would have been that the Charleston
executive committee, which is con-
trolled at present by the Grace faction,
could establish additional clubs in
wards which give Grace majority
while refraining from establishing
new clubs in the anti-Grace wards,
and in this way the Grace faction
could have strengthened and perpetu-
ated its hold upon the election ma
chinery in Charleston county Mayor
Grace contended that the convention
had the power to amend the rules in
spite Of the legislative acts, and he
demanded a roll call on one amend
ment, but he was voted down over
whelmingly. Nothing came OF the
z long wrangle but the incident was
interesting as throwing a sidelight
on the political game as it Is played
in Charleston county.
Several Of the delegates said they
were in favor of the proposed
changes, but could not vote for them
in view of the law on the subject
Eugene Blease said the legislature
had tied the hands Of the democratic
party in the state, and called atten-
ton to the fact that he and other
members OF the legislature had Bit
terly opposed the act at the time OF
it's passage and had predicted that
trouble OF this kind would come up.
The Platform Row
1t was after midnight when the re-
port Of the committee on; platform
and resolutions was called for. The
committee had been In session for
several hours and rumors as to it's ac-
ton had been In circulation among
the delegates and there was keen in
terest in the report. In order to un-
derstand the situation fully several
statements ought to be made Just here.
1T was understood that the platform