Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1873-10-23
of the YOrkville Enquirer
LETTER FROM TENNESSEE.
CHATTANOOGA, Oct. l6, 1913.
MIyEn pOJ JTICS

MIXED POLITICS.
Tennessee politics are just now in that state
or condition which we'll nigh defes descrip-
ton. Indeed, I may say that it is impossible to
give a correct diagnosis of the situation, and
fix the lines of parties so that nobody would
squeal. We are quite sure that there are
three parties here; but there is wide diversi-
ty of opinion as to the proper names for them.
Perhaps it would be as near the truth as we
can get to call one the Democratic party, the
other the Republican party, and the third
the johnson party. You we'll remember
johnson received thirty-seven thousand five
hundred votes at the last election, and these
thirty.seven thousand five hundred white men
propose to stick to A. j., and follow his lead.
They were not dismayed by defeat, for they
expected it. Their leader is to-day, by far,
the strongest man in the State, for where in
Tennessee or elsewhere is the individual who
can come out against two regular tickets, rep
resenting two 6ercely contending parties, as
an independent candidate, backed by no par
ty and no organization, and get thirty-scven
thousand five hundred votes. He does not
exist, and this great vote under all the cir
cumstances, points to Andrew johnson as the
strongest man before the people in the South.
The johnson party hold the balance of
power they have the reins and the whip
They are masters of the situation. No man
can be elected to any general office in the
State without consulting their wishes. The
politician who spurns them as some of the
skilet-head sort are doing, will find that he
cannot rise to power without their aid. They
defeated Cheatham last fall and they can de-
feat any man they choose. They may not be
able to elect whom they choose; their power
being in the nature of sort of veto. The
johnson party have the veto power most ef-
fectively. Those whom they seal with the
seal of their condemnation must 60 down.
JOHNSON AND MAYNARD.
The indications are that Andy johnson and
Horace Maynard will be the next candidates
for Governor In that event you may look
out for one of the liveliest campaigns ever
witnessed in Tennessee. Maynard, to be sure,
has made himself odious to his own party and
every other party by his participation in the
back pay steal but as he is man Of decided
brains the Republicans cannot afford to throw
him overheard. They are too scare Of brains
for that.
By the way, presume you have heard of
the misfortune which befel Mr.. johnson by the
failure Of the First National bank at Wash
ington. He had on deposit there seventy
three thousand dollars, or fully four-Gfths of
his estate 1t was the hard earnings of life
time in the public service, and falls heavily
upon him in his old age The most of this
deposit was saved from his salary as Presi-
dent. While in that Office he saved from
sixteen to eighteen thousand dollars each year,
which gives the lie to the assertions of the
partisans of President Grant that a salary of
twenty-five thousand dollars year is inada.
quate. Andy johnson certainly supported
the "dignity of the office" much better than
has Grant, for instead of roaming all over the
country with horse jockeys and gamblers, he
could always be found ready to attend to
business.
There is much sympathy expressed for Mr..
johnson by men of all parties. Those who
were his bitter enemies last summer because
he was guilty of the crime of running for of:
fee against the Irregular nominee" express
sorrow that the old man has met with such
great pecuniary misfortune.
Mr.. johnson has been economical all his
long life. Heis, in the language of his neigh
bors, close. He lives comfortably, but not
ostentatiously. He is charitable according
to his means, but is not distinguished for pro-
miscnous and indiscriminate giving.
Mr.. johnson is now in Washington looking
over the prospects, which, fear, are some
what gloomy. He may realize large per
cent on what is due him, 1T cannot expect to
get it all. If he had made this money in an
Indecent manner, after the fashion of many
modern politicians, we might say, "served
him right" but when we know that his pub:
lie life has been as pure as the purest, and
that all he has he honestly earned, we cannot
withhold our sympathy. MEMO.