The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-02-12
RULES PRESCRIBED FOR CANDIDATES
 OCOUNTY OFFICE
March 31 Last Day of ouaIitl- cation-Amount of As- SessmentS Fixed by Ex-
 eCutive Committee

Promulgation of rules prescribing the qualifications for candidates for county offices in the coming primary, determination of the amount of assessments to be made against each candidate towards the expenses of the campaign and-fixing of March s1 as the last day on which capdi- dates can qualify was the chief busi- ness transacted by the Jefferson County Executive Democratic com mlttee which met at the courthouse yesterday.
 The committee also refused to go on record as favoring the popular election of inferior court judges.
 Resolutions were adopted by the committee requiring each candidate to file with the committee before he shall be declared qualified to run on the Democratic ticket, an affidavit that in the last general election hs did not support any candidate run- ming against James M. Cox, demo- cratic candidate for the presidency. Under the terms of the resolution each candidate must also promise in writing to support all nominees for the various offices in the general election who are nominated in the primary in which he is 8 participant.
 The assessment 10 be made against each candidate for expenses of the committee iu Che campaign was fixed at 1h per cent of the first years sal ary of the office for which the par ticular candidate runs, In this con nection. 1t was provided that any un- spent portion of the funds raised in this way shall be returned to the candidates after the primary In pro portion to the amount of their con- tributions.
 Judges Voted Down
 The committee by a vote put to 1t, refused to pass B resolution sub mftted by judges of the circuit court to endorse the proposition of putting the judges of the two inferior courts and the Jefferson county Court Of Misdemeanors on the ticket for election by the people instead Of continuing their selection by the cir cult court judges and the probate judge as now provided by law.
 Introduction of a resolution to this effect evoked considerable discus sion before a vote was finally hal. c. D. Comstock spoke in favor of the committee going on record as favor ing the popular election of these judges.
 Opposition to the committee taking I>any action in the matter was made by R. DuPont Thompson, member O. the committee. who pleased with his follow members not to take any ac ton that would throw the inferior judgeships back into politics. He de- elared that he did not believe tks circuit court judges desired to pass the buck In the matter to the com mittee and that appointment of the inferior judges was imposed on them by law. He stated that they draw small salaries, considerable of which they would be compelled to spend in seeking election. The purpose of the law, he saidin making them appoint i've instead of elective was to re- move these courts from politics in which case the judges would not only have to spend considerable of their salaries but would be under obliga- tions to people all over the county for election. He moved that the res- olution he tabled, which was done after considerable discussion.
 Considerable discussion was evoked by presentation of a petition from 146 voters of Inglenook asking the committee to authorize the voters of the municipality to organize dem- ocratic executive committee for the town with a view of nominating their candidates for town offices by a primary instead of by convention as Is now done.
 IngIenook Wins
 It was stated.-by those advocating ( kt -{~ k4.a.. must be held at night which re- ! suited in numbers of the women voters being unable to attend on ac- count of household duties. The au- thorization to them to appoint a committee was opposed by c. T. Hell ton, member of the county committee from Inglenook. who said he had not been consulted about the petition and believed most of the 1000 voters of the town were opposed to 1t. A mo- tion to table the resolution, made by him, was lost after considerable dis cussion and a resolution granting the authority asked was passed. It was pointed out by the chairman of the committee. E. F. Matthews, that mere authorization of the committee to the voters of the town to appoint an executive committee does not force them to hold a primary if ma jority of the people ,favorS retaining the convention system. of nomination for town offices. SRh authorization, he said, would merely give them the right to decide which system they prefer.
 Without such authorization. he said, they would be prohibited from holding a primary even if the ma jority of the voters favored it.
 Efforte n nrovida soma y11eapo hz which all persons participating in the primary as voters could be compelled 1 to pledge themselves before voting Ato support the nominees of the party ! in the general election were made by T. l.. Smith Judge J. P. Stiles was l consulted as to the right to attach a pledge to this effect on the Of ficial ballot and told the committee that to do so would vitiate the bal lot, as the law provides what shall be placed on it. It was stated by 1 the chairman that it has always been the rule that persons participating in the primary were expected to sup port the candidates in the general /, election and that there had been few | violations of the rule. The conscience l of the particular voter, 1t was stated was the best guide that could be | fixed.
 Randall Appointed
 The chairman was authorized tc ] appofnt a subcommittee Of five tc pass on the qualifications of voters and to arrange the details of the election. These will be appointed later. Rush Randall was elected 2 l member of the committee from Bes- semer to succeed Ray Tillman, de- | ceased.
 The meeting which was held in Judge Dan A. Greene's court room was presided over by Ernest E. Mat I thews. chairman of the committee John W. Sparkman was appointed as | temporary secretary. Roll call show