The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-08-12
COMMISSION RAE
GIVES GOOD ADVICE
Points Out the Danger 10 the Parfv
In the State Committee Exceed.
ing Its Powers

Editor Tribune: I have read with
a great deal of concern your editor;aI
in the Tribune of Saturday, August s.
and your criticism of my letter TO Hon.
! Geo. P. Raney, chairman of the sfate
democratic executive committee In
which took the position that the
state democratic executive COMMITTEES
had no authority In law or otherwise
to nominate a candidate to succeed
the late Hon. VIM. N. Sheats for stata
superintendent of public instruction.
Inasmuch as the editorial was In
the Tampa Tribune, . newspaper
which usually stands for progress.
justice and right, feel it q duty to
my party and to myself to reply since
the editorial is so faulty and it's crit
icism of me so misleading, biased and
unjust.
In replying to this editorial want
to again say that / trust the state
democratic executive committee sswill
keep hands off" when it comes to nonni-
mating or endorsing a candidate for
state superintendent of public instruc-
tion, for the reason that no power in
side the democratic party, except the
democratic voters themselves, has .
right to nominate candidate.
Section 1, Chapter $3.50 (primary
election law) provides:
"The nomination of all candidates
for all elective state, congressional
and county Offices, for United States
senator and for the election Of MEM
bers of the state congressional and
county executive committees, By all
political parties as defined by this act
shall be made in the manner provided
in this act, and not otherwise.
"The name of no person nominated
by party required hereunder to make
nominations of candidates shall be
placed upon the official ballot TO be
voted at any general election as
candidate for any Office, when provis-
ion is made herein for nominating
candidates for such Office unless such
person shall have been nominated for
such Office under the provisions Of this
act"
1t is provided, however, IN section
so of said primary law, ain case of q
tie vote the executive committee has
a right to nominate candidate by
majority vote" This is the only pro-
vision in the law giving an executive
committee the right to nominate
that is when the voters had an op-
portunity and failed.
With all due Difference to the views
of the Tampa Tribune and to Mr..
Raney, chairman of the state demo-
cratic executive committee, in this
matter, and to Mr.. Raney and the
other members of the COMMITTEES who
may hold similar views TO him on this
question, most of whom are my per-
sonal friends and for whom ] have .
very high regard, it seems to me that
past experiences have demonstrated
that this action would be inadvisable
and not for the best interests Of either
the party or the candidate who might
happen to be nominated.
Most of US are familiar with the
incident in which the democratic ex-
ecutive committee in 1904 took upon
itself the responsibility for nominat-
ing the lamented, the late ]. Emmett
Wolfe, for state superintendent, at
the time Hon. VIM. II. Holloway was
nominated in the primary and be and
Mr.. Sheats got In the courts as the
result of the outcome of the primary
nomination. Some of the members OF
the committee went out over the state
and made speeches for Judge Wolfe,
notwithstanding the fact that the
people in the primary had nominated
Mr.. Holloway, and the result was that
Mr.. Holloway was elected by large
majority and which election was APP
proved four years later by bus rs-
election without opposition to the
same Office.
Another incident still fresh IN the
| memory of all of us Is the one nix
years ago in which the ASturkie reso-
luton" was adopted by the state dem
ocratic executive committee and which
was afterward rescinded but resulted
in the election of Rev. Sidney ]. Cats
as governor of this state.
The history of executive committee
nominations has, therefore, been un-
favorable to the nominee and It has
always given the individual, who
| failed to receive the nomination and
approval of the executive COMMITTEES.
club or a clue with which to 20 ous
and place the nominee m false light.
all of which shows that nominations
by the committee have been 1iab;l;tv
rather than an asset
Aside from the foregoing cons;d
erations the law is clear on this .uh
ject, and since the passage of the nra.-
ent primary law there has .be:n :.
legal authority ON the part Of the 49,
mittee to make nominations.
I endorsed the position +.r