Henderson daily dispatch., 1946-08-28
The First Round

Georgia law won the first round
in face of the challenge by some of
the States own citizens against the
county unit voting system when y
thrcc-iudGc Federal court upheld
constitutional provisions establishing
that method OF nominating public
officials. But the battle is not ovet'
by any means, and before the State
shall be accorded full and free rights
to manage its own affairs il mus:
struggle through the United States
Supreme Court.
Ii is regrettable that candidates III
southern state, additionally favor
able to the principle of states rights
should wish To GO to the mat on an
issue which strikes at the very roots
of this form of government. Evi-
IDENTIFY they must think more of their
personal political fortunes than Of
the principle of self-government, and
the latter will receive further
devastating blow if the Supreme
Court rules in their favor and against
the States law. So far as we can
sec, the only concern about the
Georgia Constitution violating the
Federal Constitution is the ambition
of those who were defeated. So far
as we have ever heard. the Georgia
law was not questioned until some
very aggressive candidates lost in
the count based upon Constitution
approved few years ago by the
voters Of Georgia. presumably with
the support of the very people who
now wish To challenge a segment OF
the law which they do not like.
Who represents Georgia citizens in
Congress or as governor is their at
fair. And those who won in the re-
cent primary, won legally. If every
defeated candidate is 10 90 10 court
to have the election laws change
simply because he or she lost out,
then there can be no stability of
law. If majority of Georgia peopl1
are opposed To the county unit Sys-
tenn. they have the right to change
II, but 1t ought to be rcvamped in
the proper manner, not by the courts
acting TO satisfy the whims and de-
sIrcS of the SMALL group who came
out the little end of the horn.
We cannot enthuse over the coun-
~ unit system of choosing public
officials. AT the same time we have
always favored the Federal electoral
college system. There is a difference
and to our way of thinking the
electoral college makes for better
government, in that it prevents {,
bulk vote from deciding an election
by allowing Il concentration. as in
New York City. from welding ur-
due influence over other section.
whose ideologieS and convictions are
sometimes as far apart as the poles
There is no such divergence in re-
stricted districts, or counties, i'm the
same State or same area of a State
and that obviates the desire or nee
essity for unit rule in popular cleo
tons of local character.
If Georgia did not want the unit
system. it should not have approved
it in its new Constitution few year,
ago. II the vast majority of the peo-
pie there do want it, then little
handful Of die-hards ought not &c
try 10 override the law by court
decision merely because they do moi
like it or have suffered reverse.
under its terms.
Change the law. certainly, II the
people desire the change. But il
ought to be done in proper name. !.
which in this instance would hav.
to be by vote Of the people again
and not by three men or nine mer
who constitute a court. The courts
do not write law--or are not SUD-
posed to-they only interpret and
enforce IT under the Constitution.