National Republican., 1888-02-29
TENNESSEE REPUBLICANS.
Probabilities of Their Carrying the
state at the Next Election.

state at the Next Election.
Col Walter p. Brownlow, Of Tennessee,
q member Of the National Republican Com
mittee, and also q member OF the state exec
utive committee, Ia In the city. He says he
lie Just from Nashville, where he has been
attending a meeting OF the state executive
committee, which has called state con
ventlon to meet on the 10th OF May for the
purpose OF selecting delegates to the Chi
csgo convention and two presidential elect
ors for the state at large. While In Nash
vile he met many prominent politicians OF
both political parties in the state, and
learned much OF the party feelings Of both
sides. He was asked by a representative Of
the NATIONAL REPUBLICAN, how the har.
mony and organization OF the Republican
party In Tennessee compared with that OF
the Democratic.
"The Republlcan party In Tennessee"
he said, "is better organized than 1t ever
hae been since Its formation In the state.
We are thoroughly organized and ready
to make vigorous campaign. We are sol.
idly united and have no local factions to al.
vide us; In other words, we do not Intend
to let any decord arise, but expect to
make the campaign OF 1888 memorable In
the history OF our party in Tennessee.
The Democrats have already commenced a
fight among themselves over their guber-
material nomination, which bids fair to be
one Of the btterest political family fights
that has ever been known In the state.
They have serious troubles In their
ranks ahead Of them which will be almost
impossible to heal; both factions are led
by the strongest and ablest men In their
party, and the most sagaclous politicians
cannot predict where It will end. This is
the year we elect governor and leglsld-
ture which will elect United States seua-
tor to succeed Senator Isham G. Harris,
consequently there will be a struggle for
Office and spoils from all quarters OF the
Democratic ranke.n
"Do you think there is any chance to &c.
liver the electoral vote Of your state to tho
Republican candidate for Presldent?'
ION that point will call your attention
to the following recapitulation of the vote
in the last three presidential elections,
which will better illustrate the point de-
sire to make, and will make 1t more plainly
understood why i think there is a chance to
get the electoral vote of my state for the
Republican candidate for President.
1.-THE figures refer to are as follows: In
lsiG-Tildep, 1888 ll6; Hayes, S9,556; Demo-
cratic majority, 43, $50. In 1SS0-Haucock,
iorlty, %, 400 In lsS4-Cleveland, l3325S;
Blaine, l24,07S; Democratic majority, Q, $50.
"AnalyZed into geographical divisions
the vote in 1884 was East Tennessee,
Cleveland, 3O,S00; Blaine, 40 0S9 Middle
Tennessee, Cleveland, 62 39S; Blaine, 3S.'
0s3. West Tennessee, Cleveland, 10000;
| Blaine, 30, ,004.
"In the vote of 1880 Garfield received in
the state 107,677 votes and Hancock 1870, 1863
| votes. In this contest the census showed
| stay at home vote Of 100, ,1l5. In the vote
| Of 1854 the increase In the total vote of the
state over the vote OF 1850 was 1890. OF
this increase the Republicans got 6,40l,
while the Democratic increase was only
3,0s9, demonstrating what the Republicans
always clsimed-that two. o.thirds Of the stay
| at home vote was Republican,
"You will readily observe from the above
| hgures," said Col. Brownlew, "that In the
| presidential contest above mentioned the
Democrats have made q net gain In the
state of 142 votes over their original votes
in 1876, when they carried the state by
43,560 majority, while the Republicans
crease OF 35, ,522. The same ratio Of increase
this year will give us the state by 5000
msjority."
"Who are the favorites among the Re.
| publicans Of your state for the presidential
nomination at ChicagoP
| 'SiDce the withdrawal of Mr.. Blaine
from the race there is but one name men
TONED among the people of my state for
the place."
"Aave you any objections to giving the
name OF that man?"
~ have none whatever - said Col. Brown
low;" his name is John Sherman, of Ohio"
"Why is Sherman the favorite Of Tennes.
see Republicans ~
"ln the first place, Sherman has always
| recognized and been friendly toward south.
| ern Republicans; for that reason he has Sc.
| cured the admiration aud respect OF that
| class OF our people. He also has The coufl-
dence OF the business men OF our country
| and party to q greater extent tnan any
| other American citizen.
| "Tbe increase In the Republican vote In
Tennessee must necessarily come from the
tariff and protective Democrats and labor
ing men. There is no one on whom these
elements would sooner unite than on Mr.
Sherman. thiuk / have given plain
statement of facts which will be clearly
substantiated at the November election"
alt has been suggested that southern
delegations to the Republican National
Convention should permit the states giving
the electoral votes to name the candidate
for PreeidehtY'
81 share that feeling very largely my
self" said Col. Brownlow, "as southern
Republican, but our friends should rcmem
ber that Tennessee, North CirOitna, Nir
giria, and West Virginia are as much doubt
| ful states as New YORK, New jersey, Con
necticut, and Indiana. | venture the as
sertion, with no doubt OF the tIuthfulncsl
OF II, that the four southern states namet
can be carried for the Republican part,
with the same applied machinery and or
ganizstion that 1t would take to carry New
York alone.n
"Who is the choice OF your Republican
for the second place on the ticketsn
"We have none; we are for any eastern
or middle state Republican who was
Union soldier and has clean politi,ea
record. The confidence in seEator Sher
mans business capaclty>.S not confnet
it is shared by the Democrats also,