The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1891-01-21
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 81, 1891.
A TENNESSEE GERRYMANDER.
A Plot Matching to Make Judge
Houk's District Democratic.


Houk's District Democratic.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 3. Especial to
n. Y. Trlbune).-Probably there Is
no other Republican in Tennessee |
whom the Democrats of the State
hate so bitterly as ,h-y do Judge
Hoax, who for the last twelve years,
has represented the End Congress
District. just now plot seems to
be Matching for another gerryman-
der of the State in the hope of cap
turing the district. which is now
heavily Republican,. The Demo-
cratic gerryIrander of last year re-
suited in the election of a Democrat
to succeed Mr.. Evans from the Bird
District, and the success of that
scheme has apparently raised the
hopes of the Tennessee Dem Gratis
to a high pitch. A ritter in "The
Nashville American" of January 6,
says:
1t is now proposed to give to the
4th District the western and most
Democratic end of the LIST District
and to extend the lst down and
along th State line so as to take
off some of the most Intensely Re.
publican counties. A Democratic
county added from the 3rd and this
replaced by another Democratic
county from the 9th will make the
lst overwhelmingly Republican,
but give to the DeM Ocrats better
than fighting chance in the End.
This plan was outlined to me by a
leading Democrat who will soon
take steps toward its formulation
preparatory to urging it upon the
Legislature. 1t thus begins to look
as if the avenging hand of the Dem
ocratic Nemesis is at last about to
clutch the throat of the most parti-
san and hated Republican which
Tennessee has harbOred and shell
tered and pampered since the days
of the Infamous BroWnlOW.
Judge Houk views with perfect
equanimity the beginning Of the
preparations for his political down.
fall. "The Democrats cannot carry
the End District no matter how
they gerrymander it" he said.
Speaking of the above editorially,
the Tribune says:
The success of the Democratic
gerrymander in Ohio, the most no.
table result of which was the defeat
of Major Mckinley, seems to have
emboldened the Democrats Of Tenn
essee to adopt the same tactics in
the hope of putting an end to the
long Congressional career of Judge
Houk, of he End District. At least
plan is under consideration for re-
casting the lines Of that district so
as to give the Democrats better
chance of carrying it. 1t is DIES,
ricable thing for them to undertake,
particularly in view o. Mr.. H0uk's
eminent public services Fortu
nately, the Republican vote is so
strong in the Knoxville district that
the desperate sche'ue is not likely
to succeed.
Should the democratic legisla-
ture of this state do as indicated by
the foregoing, it would ouly be in
keeping with the past record of that
party. AS party, it never appeals
to the intelligent voter for support,
in fact, 1t has nothing to offer intel.
ligence, either in its past history,
present conduct, or promises for the
future. Its party leaders rely upon
the ignorance and cupidity of their
adherents, and hen in majority
they hesitate not in their endeav-
ors to gain further conquests, en- ac-
count of the morality or legality of
the methods to be pursued to Sc
cure the desired end. Thus it will
be seen that despairing of ever per-
suading the intelligent voters of
East Tennessee, to acquiesce in
their views long enough for them
to secure the Congressman from
this district, they now propose to
practically disfranchise the republi.
cans of the End district, by rear
ranging it in such a manner that
there will be clear democratic
majority. They gerrymandered
Congressman Evans out of office in
the 3rd district and as they have no
love for Houk, will undertake to ar
range for his political funeral. AS
a part of the program the infamous
Dortch Law will be amended SO
that the matter of who may vote
will be in the hands of a few per.
sons in each county, and they being
of the democratic faith in the larger
number of counties, will arrange
matters so that republicans will not
bother much. There is such a thing
as retribution. The voters of this
state will not stand everything that
democratic leaders may see fit to
do in futherance of their wicked
schemes, but will turn on them and
BY their ballot relegate them to
back seats.
REPUBLICANS are not worrying
ahnut Behring's Sea matters. thew