Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-11-07
TENNESSEE.
Democratic State That Might Have Been
Made Republican.
r.

Correspondence of The Evening Star
MEMPHIS. Tenn, Nov. 5, 1892.
On the eve Of the presidential election Ten
nesse is to all appearances preparing to cast
her electoral vote for Cleveland and Stevenson.
Whatever may be the OBJECTIONS from the DEM
ocratic party to the populists in the guberna-
torial, congressional or legislative contests one
thing is evident: There is no sort of enthusi-
asm for Weaver and his vote in the state will
be decidedly microscopic. Tennessee is one OF
the very few states that elected alliance govern
ors. The victory of Buchanan two years ago
was taken to indicate that the alliance had
swallowed the democratic party. and not that
the democratic party had swallowed the ALI
ance. But during these years the grip Of the
alliance has weakened. and Buchanan has been
easily defeated in the primaries. Strange ~ 1t
may seem, though the alliance and the peoples
party both aim at national reforms both are
more touchy about state candidates. than about
the presidential contest. I have heard quite a
number Of populists express the greatest admit
ration for Mr.. Cleveland. though they expected
to vote for the populist candidates for gov
ernor, for Congress and for the legislature.
The gold bug cry was raised against Cleveland
for awhile, but we hear nothing Of it now.
THE CONGRESSIONAL OUTLOOK.
70 With regard to the congressional outlook, the
republicans are reasonably sure of two Con-
gressmen. and they may get three. The first
district is a certainty for them. and there is no
reason to think that John Houk will be de-
feated in the second. Houk is the most hus-
ting republican in Tennessee. When he a
candidate for the republican nomination a
short time ago. his opponent was a wealthy
man by the name of Woodruff. Houk is osten-
tatlously n man of the people, while Woodruff
lives in one of the palaces of Knoxville. Houk
won the nomination i'll the easiest possible
manner. He told mountaineers of the Great
Smoky that Woodruff lived in a house that had
carpets on the floor and he had looking glasses
inside as big as barn door.
HOuk got the nomination by about 10000
majority In the third district there lie apt to
be a very pretty contest Two years ago Con-
gresham snodgrass defeated II. Clay Evans by
only 523 votes. This year is apt to bring out u
much larger vote and Snodgrass may be de-
feated. though the drift in east Tennessee in
this year, elections has been rather toward the
democracy. Rice A. Pierce. in the ninth dis
trict. will certainly be turned down this time.
He ran as a democrat two years ago and had q
majority of more than 5000 This year he runs
populist and he will be defeated. In this
district (the tenth) Col. Josiah Patterson. one
of the few southern democrats who had the
courage to stand out against the silver ex-
tremists. is confronted solely by a populist cam
didate. the republican candidate Col Dyer,
having been Withdrawn in accordance with the
deal between Chairman Baker, representing the
republicans. and John II. Mcdowell the leader
of the Tennessee populists. do not see how
Patterson can be defeated by Neal, the popu-
list.
NEGROES WHO WILL NOT VOTE.
There are about an many negroes as whites in
this county Shelby, the most populous in the
state, yet the negro registration is only about
1000, and it is not likely that more than 1900
of these will have paid their poll tax. In Fay
cite county n of fhis district fhera ra
1900 negro voters. but only 400 of them have
paid their poll tax. But for that little If in
the shape Of poll tax there would not be the
slightest doubt that Winstead. the republican
nominee. would be the next governor of Ten
nessee. Four years ago Harrison got nearly
40 900 votes in this state, the largest vote
cast for any candidate for any Office before or
since except that cast for Cleveland the other
democratic nominees in 1888. II Buchanan
should get 10000 votes and if the conditions
were the same four years ago Turney the
democratic nominee for governor. might be de-
feated. but there can be no doubt that the poll
tax. the registration and the Australian ballot
law will keep more negroes at home than
ignorant whites.
BITTER fIGHT on PoPULIsTs.
The democratic program has been exceed
ing,y in discreet. The populist leaders and the
alliance have been scourged from pillar to post
by few hot-headed youngsters who are trying
to lead the party. A very bitter feeling has
been aroused, and it is very uncomfortable to
be populist in some parts of Tennessee. 1t is
just possible that the populist vote will be
surprise.t 1t has so far been very quiet and
may become very vocal on election day. I
have made some investigations regarding the
effect of the Mcdowell exposure on the popuist
mind. II will be remembered doubtless, that
several days ago the Knoxville Tribune Sc
cured two letters purporting to have passed
between Republican Committeeman G. w.
Hill and 10 j. WINS, editor of the
Knoxville Republican. In these letters it
intimated that Mcdowell had obtained
$4,000 from the republican national committee
or holding buchanan the track, and for
helping the republicans and popuists to carry
the state. do not find that the exposure"
if such it be, has had any effect on the alliance
people. Those who expected to vote the popu-
list ticket still expect to vote it.
REPUBLICAN OPPORTUNITY MISSED.
1t seems to me that the republicans as practi-
cal politicians missed great chance in this
state. With anything like efficient organization
they could have registered the negro vote. and
by paying the poll taxes of the negroes have
made a most formidable showing They could
have secured great local advantage and they
might even have DETECTED the state into the
Harrison column.