Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1890-04-01
THE ouBnRrAroRrAL CONTEST.

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The prohibition party is arranging
to put full state ticket in the field
and nominate candidate In each
district for congress.
Memphis is claiming the right to
furnish the Democratic nominee for
Governor while Shelby county
Democracy is hopelessly split, di-
vided on local affairs and local candi-
dates, and Patterson and Clapp are
widening the breech by a bitter con-
test for county endorsement to the
State convention. This too, being
the largest voting county in the
State, claiming representation Of
161 delegates in the State conven-
ton. There can be no doubt that
adjoining Democratic counties are to
great extent, affected by the con-
troversey in Memphis.
In Middle Tennessee, Jere, Baxter
is contesting with brothers Mcdowell
and Buchanan for the farmers vote,
and his Shetland ponies do keep up
mighty neighing, kicking up their
heels high in the air.
Brother Mcdowell utterly failed
in the beginning to arouse any en-
thusiasm for his candidate, for sew
eral reasons one is the farmers know
very little about the candidate, and
he has shown no fruits to justify the
belief that he is man of sufficient
calibre to reflect credit on their Or
ganization as governor of the State,
Brother Mcdowell being the biggest
man of the two. Another reason is
that intelligent, thinking farmers who
have purer and higher motives in
view, look upon the Mcdowell
Buchanan candidacy as making I'M
holy use of the highest Office in the
gift of the Union for a POLITICAL step
ping stone, to promote mediocracy
which has nothing else to base a
claim for preferment on.
Cousin Jere Baxter is not the man
wanted by the farming people, be-
cause he is entirely too fresh, I'M
known in state craft, political fame,
or legal lore, has achieved nothing
in agricultural pursuits and is known
only as lucky Spectator in bonds
and stocks, and the State has moth
ing of that kind to deal in now.
Nevertheless, those Shetland ponies
and spotted cattle do keep up nigh
ty snorting and believing, and the
people are running after the herd to
see the excitement.
Uncle Josiah's syndicate of upper
case papers have become alarmed at
Cousin Jere's stock show and has
turned its heavy guns on his herd,
On the other hand, Cousin Jere's
sharp shooters are opening fire all
along the line on your Uncle Josiah,
charging HIM with being the tool of
the vilest rings in the State.
Taking all of these things under
consideration, the Scimitar's admo-
milton of the danger of turning the
State over to the Republicans this
year should be needed by the De-
mocraey.
The Democratic people should bear
in mind that they are not compelled
to select either of these men for their
candidate, that there are plenty OF
men in the State above reproach who
would harmonize all elements, in
spire enthusiasm, carry dignity to
the Office and reflect honor upon the
State. The Office of governor is not
one to be trailed around in the dust,
and farmers, if they would do credit
to themselves and reflect honor upon
their organization, should attend
their county conventions in force,
see that good delegations are sent to
the State convention (men able to go
and stay, and that they go untram-
eled, uninstructed, gagged or pinned
to any candidates coat tail, but in.
structed to select one who is able to
bear the Democratic banner aloft and
make an aggressive campaign, and
not one who must defend his own
record and candidacy.