The Lincoln times., 1955-02-24
l2M1<1lfsEBox Fl
HON w. E. GARRISON
NORTH CAROLINA SENATE
HON. DAVID CLARK
NORTH CAROLINA HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES

NORTH CAROLINA SENATE
HON. DAVID CLARK
NORTH CAROLINA HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES,
At the outset of this communi-
cation, l would like to make it
crystal clear that I have no per-
Sonal interest to serve with re-
spect TO the matter mentioned.
and I am very definitely not
candidate for election to any one
of our Town offices.
You have invited comment
from citizens regarding enact
ment of certain legislation to
provide for the election of our
Town Officials here in Lincoln
ton and 1 have been asked by
several to state my thoughts on
this subject.
l am a Democrat: as such 1
am animated by the desire to
support those measures, which
in my best judgment. serve to
strengthen and enlarge the in
fluence and effectiveness of the
Democratic Party, which l be-
lieve has the better record fol-
service to all of our people than
any other political party.
Many years ago the Democratic
Party abolished the convention
mode of selecting its nominees
for public office, because it felt
that any democrat, short, fat
tall, bald or red-headed should
have the free and untrammelled
right to offer himself for public
office by declaring himself as
a candidate in Democratic
Primary and affording all of the
people an ample opportunity tC
60 to the ballot box and record
their choice of all in the field.
This has become one of the
great sources of its strength anC
influence. Practically all of those
who have lost in a Democratic
Primary have been good sports
and accepted their rejection by
the people without bitterness OF
feeling and in many instances
have enlarged their interest and
activity in support of the Demo-
cratic Party.
Lincolnton is growing and
threatening to become a City.
In the early days, with small
population, mass meeting of
citizens selecting the Democratic
Nominees for our Town offices
was accepted as an eXpedient de
vice to attend to this business
and l know of no great harm
that has come by its continual
ton through the years. However,
our Town has now reached such
proportions that there is no
place available that could house
a representative crOSS-Section of
the Democrats and l can see the
possibility of considerable dang
er and bitterness developing if
this mode of choosing nominees
is continued in the future. Fur
thermore, it is extremely difficult
to identify persons in a mass
meeting. as to where they live
and with which party they affi-
late and this situation poses a
threat to the peace and har-
mony of our Democratic Party.
Therefore, having solely in
mind the best interest of the
Democratic Party. as l see it, it is
my conviction that nominees for
public office should be selected
III an open primary election, con-
Quoted in an orderly and proper
manner, with the door wide open
for any Democrat who may so
desire, to have his name placed
on the ballot and the equal op-
portunity to every Democrat to
accept or reject any name ap-
pearing on the ballot. In this way
we build a stronger and more
virile party, which will justly
command the respect and ale
glance of all of its members.
Of course, the converse applies
to the Republicans and I think
one of the chief weaknesses of
the Republican Party has been its
reliance upon the convention or
mass meeting method of select
ing its nominees we Democrats
should be careful to avoid the
same pitfall.
1 know that you both want to
do what is best and that you are
making a real sacrifice in Serv-
ing us in the important places
you hold. Let me assure you both
that you have my very sincere
best wishes and kindest regards
in your every undertaking.
Sincerely,
II \