National Republican., 1882-12-30
A SAVAGE" FIGHT
Made on Senator Harris by a Man Who
Wants His Seat,
But There Is Little Probability That IL
WIZ Ro Successful.
SLxrial LcNer.

WIZ Ro Successful.
Special Letter.
NASHVILLE, Dec. 25.-The question of a
successor to Senator Isham c. Harris is the
main topic of discussion in political circles in
Tennessee at this time, although the issue of
the contest is not difficult to foretell. There
are but two pronounced candidates in the
field, and they are tho present senator and
Col John II. Savage, both well known in and
out of Tennessee. But, while these are the
acknowledged candidates, there arc also others,
who have not yet announced themselves, but
who are, all the same, willing for the lightning
to strike them. OF these latter the most
prominent, and perhaps the only one who
has any following to speak Of is ox-
Gov. Albert S. Marks though Hon.
S. f. Wilson, the boiling candidate for
governor two years ago, has some supporters
outside the legislature. Not few people in
Tennessee have proposed Governor-elect Gen.
William B. Bate as an available candidate,
but there exists his own authority for the
statement that he will not allow himself to
! be voted for Though there are many in the
state who would really like to see Gen. Bate
in the senate, it is noticeable that number
of his strongest advocates are those who have
| in the past been opposed to him-the late
Fusscll or sky-bluc democrats, who are
BENT ON BEATING HARRIs
at all hazards. Col. Savage is making des-
| perate fight for the senatorship. In his con-
test with his opponent he is not only attack
| ing Harris's public record, but his private ac-
| tions and even carries the war past the thresh-
old of home and into the family circle. He
wars alike on Harris and on all who support
Harris. One of his most bitter speeches was
/ Nf 1,h.
who merely let fall good word concerning
the honesty and ability of his colleague, the
senior senator from Tennessee. Savage, by
the way, was the author of the resolution by
| the adoption of which in 1875 the state legis-
lature ceased paying the interest on the pub
lie debt.
Harris is of course greatly in the lead of
all competitors, and is almost assured Of cleo
| tiOn. The great body of the democracy of
| Tennessee support him. No one during the
canvass did more for the triumph of the Bate
democracy, and no one was greeted with such
| large audiences or such enthusiasm. His OPP
| position comes mainly from the sources al
ready mentioned-Savage and his supporters
and from the " "sky-blues." These can never
! forgive him for not going with them into the
July convention, and are consequently now
! full of praise for the other candidates, especi-
ally Gen. Bate, whom they know to be popu
| lar, and therefore consider the best man to
beat Harris. Bate, however, has said to his
friends that he will not under any circum-
stance be a candidate. Col Savage came to
him to talk the question over, and to him the
| general made this statement, and added that
the people had called him to be governor, and
he would obey. Even if elected senator he
would decline to serve. He believed
the people wanted him for their governor.
He was elected to settle the state debt,
and he would rather settle. this veXed
question to the satisfaction of the people than
to be in the senate of the United States. He
also said that he would side with neither as
pirant, as both had been his friends and both
had been of valuable service to the democratic
party and to him.
The election of Harris on the first ballot
would be no great surprise.
One point of interest concerning
THE PRESENT TENNESSEE LEGISLATURE
that is, the coming legislature-is that it is
principally composed of eX-confederate SOL
diers, mostly officers. "There is majority;
in fact" said one of them, :" believe we have
a good two-thirds majority of old rebets ''-"-'-
Ofall questions to be acted upon by this legis-
lature the state debt question is of most general
interest The indications are that tender of
50-3 will be made but the fact is not estab-
lished beyond doubt that the present settle
lnent can be uprOOted. The late election did
not signify so much on this question as tire
former low tax wing are disposed to claim.
The overthrow of the republican administra-
tion was the real significauion of the election,
and if popular republican had been in the
field, even this could not have been accom-
! plished. The opposition to Hawkins drove
many thousand votes away from the republi-
can camp. One of the staunchest Bate men
in the legislature and one who represents the
opinion of many other good members, said that
he favored u tender of SOB, as provided by
the platform; if the creditors did not accept
this and he had no idea they would, he felt
that he had the riphf In vote for eha nayt haS
thing.
Other measures likely to be passed upon by
this general assembly, which meets next
Monday, are the
RELIEF OF THE SUPREME COURT
dockets by establishing intermediate courts
of appeal, the regulation of railway freight
rates i'll the state and modification of the
four-mile law. The first of these is badly
needed, as the supreme court is now more
than five years behind, and the number of
cases on the docket is constantly increasing
Another important bill will provide for the
building of a new state prison, as the present
pententiary was built to accommodate about
one third as many prisoners as are now within
its walls. The passage of this bill, however
is doubtful Humanity to prisoners is not
much practiced in this state as yet.
just about the time j. Bates election there
went up a howl from certain campaign pa
pers in Tennessee and from certain campaign
politicians for the resignation of Senator
Howell Il. jackson, these parties not being
able to understand how any person whose
opinions on n local matter differed from their
own could serve Tennessee in the national
congress- AS the freshness and novelty of
the victory wore off they appreciated the real
meaning of the election more, and now they
haven't so much to say about it. The idea
was that this resignation would give one
more ambitious politician a chance. ED.
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