Evening star., 1946-09-07
Southern Democrats
Talk of New Purty
But Project Is Destined to Get
More Interest Than Support
By Berfram Benedict

hoIe IntSTeSt Ihdn support
By Berfram Benedict
A project for a new and separate Dem
ocratic party in the South Is scheduled
to be put before the State Democratic
Convention Of Arkansas when it con-
venes on the coming Friday. The pro-
posal is likely to evoke more interest
than support.
Southern conservatives today are all
the more restive within the present
Democratic party because the two-thirds
rule for the presidential and the vice
presidential nominations was abolished
at the 1886 convention in Philadelphia.
While the two-thirds rule. obtained, the
South enjoyed in effect veto power over
the nominations.
The Arkansans now proposing a sec
ond Democratic party in the South de-
clare that neither major political party
is following policies acceptable to "a
great majority of Southern white peo-
Pile" They charge further that the pres
ent Democratic administration is work.
ing hand-in-glove with Communists.
pink Socialists and other fellow-travel-
ers who 49, pursue persistent and de-
termined policy Of undermining all the
things the South holds sacred"
The width and depth of this anti
administration sentiment in the South
can hardly be overestimated. In the
Democratic National Convention in Chi
cago in 1914. three Southern States
Louisiana
voted solidly for Senator Harry F. Byrd
OF Virginia for the presidential nomi-
nee, although he was not a candidate
and although President Roosevelt was
sure OF renomination And Byrd re-
ceived 221a votes from other Southern
delegations.
However, difficulties facing any South
ern political group defying a national
Democratic administration also can
| hardly be overestimated.
In 1914 the State Democratic Con-
Vention OF Texas, meeting two months
| prior to the national convention, in ef-
1ect instructed its nominees for presi-
Genital electors to vote for some other
Democrat than Roosevelt. But at the
national convention the delegates of
this anti-Roosevelt State convention
mad to be content with u vote each to
u for each pro-Roosevelt delegate
named by rump State convention.
A new State convention was called for
September II, and in elections for this
one the pro- Roosevelt forces won over
the regulars" The convention named
slate of pro-Roosevelt electors: bv
decision of the State Supreme Court
this list was put on the ballots as the
Official Democratic list. The regulars"
ran their own slate of electors: In the
November election it received only 1885,
600 votes to $4,000 for the pro-Roose-
velt list and 1000 for the Republican
electors
In Mississippi, Louisiana and South
Carolina movements to allow State elec-
tors to vote for some other Democrat
than Roosevelt in 1914 were brought to
naught with less difficulty than in Texas.
Other anti-Roosevelt or pro-Dewev
movements of Southern Democrats Also
petered out.
The South ran its own Democratic
ticket In 1860. At the national conven-
ton In Charleston, S. c., some South
ern delegates withdrew when a platform
supported by the South was defeated.
stephen Douglas, opposed by the South.
mad a majority of the votes for Presi-
oent, but could not corral two-thirds,
ana the convention adjourned to meet
again at Baltimore. At Baltimore, more
Southerners withdrew and Douglas was
nominated. Seceders from the two con-
Vent1ons nominated Breckenridge for
President. He ran ahead of Douglas in
every Southern State, and the split in
the Democratic vote assured the election
| of Lincoln.