Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1892-10-28
A FACTl0NAL FIGHT.
An Interesting Story Concern
ing the Ivins-Hill Letters.
1t Seems to be Fight Between III. CLAY
Evans and John O. Houk for
Supremacy.
The Knoxville Sentinel OF Wed.

The Knoxville Sentinel OF Wed.
nesday says:
IA prominent gentlemen of the
city gave the Sentinel the story, but
does not vouch for its accuracy. It
Is well known fact that the Repub-
licans of Tennessee do not dwell to.
gether in house of unity. Right
here in the second Congressional dis
trict are two warning factions. The
Gibson Rule contingency wants the
scalps of j. G. Houk and his follow
ers. But that is neither here nor
there. The incident is only used to
refresh the memory of the public
and call attention to the fact that
what exists here may also exist to a
larger extent throughout the State.
81. @. Houk is now accredited
with being the leader or boss OF the
Republican PARTY In the State Of
Tennessee. Henry Clay Evans, can
didate for Congress, would be for
midable rival of Houk's for the con.
troll OF Federal power for the State of
Tennessee. Evans Ia closer to and
would have more influence with the
administration If President Harrison
is reelected than Houk, for the rea-
son that Houk was an ardent supper
ter OF James G. Blaine for the nomi-
nation at Minneapolis, while Evans
was equally as loyal to Harrison.
"After the organization of the Re-
publican national committee the
Houk faction concocted a scheme to
turn Tennessee over to the Republi-
cans. 1t is reported negotiations
were opened with Mcdowell and the
reported trade of his agreeing to
bring out Buchanan and carry the
State Republican for $i5, 900 and his
election as senator was consummated.
"When the faction from East Ten
nessee appeared before the Republi-
can national committee they wanted
$60,0 600 to do the work of turning
Tennessee over to the Republicans.
This the national committee thought
was too much money and asked time
for consideration. III. Clay Evans,
of the Third, who is Houk's own
party, but at the head OF the other
contending faction, had learned of
the trade with Mcdowell for $l5, 900,
and also the requt st of one the nat
ional committee for 100000. What
WAS wanted with the other $4,000
was not learned, but as III. Clay
thought it was not necessary to spend
it to save the First and Second Con-
gressicnal Districts he stepped in and
notified the national committee he
could control Mcdowell for $15, 900.
The trade, then, was made with Nc
Doweli, through the opposition to
Houk.
"rhat the management OF the deal
with Mcdowell and the knocking
them out of 100000 worth OF Doodle
should be so ruthlessly torn from their
fists, made the East Tennessee Re-
publican leaders as mad as hornets.
Outwitted was no word for 1t, and
how to get even with the Evans
crowd was discussion fraught with
deep moment.
"McDowel's deal with the Third
district gang meant much toward
Evans election, and Evans success
meant not from III to break fast,'
but h to H0uk. Some way Evans'
defeat must te accomplished. AS
Congressman from the Third district
and being in touch with President
Harrison in case of his reelection, 1t
would never do for Evans to 60 to
Congress. He would control the
Federal patronage for the entire
State and John Houk would pose
with about as much influence as q
knot on log.
"Heads were put together, schem-
ing was INDUCED, the WINS Hill let
ters were brought forth and given 10
the public, and Wins and Hill denied
the connection OF Congressman Houk
with the affair or the Mcdowell trade,
duplicating Evans, however, and
Houk is playing the role.
Even the Republicans send WINS
to the Third district and try to use
him as tool against Evans. New
ell Saunders, Evans friend, Is
brought out in the letter as confab.
bing with Mcdowell, and In every
way possible Evans is implicated to
accomplish his defeat. WINS and
Hill take the blame Tor their letters.
They are the scapegoats. WINS ac-
knowledges he wrote the letter to
Hill. Hill acknowledges he signed
one but did not have sense enough to
know what he signed. Why all this
subterfuge? There Is scheming by
the Second district faction against
the faction OF the Third district.
Evans must be defeated to retain
Houk's supremacy. 1t must be done
at any cost. Hence the "holier than
/ thou" letters. Isn't the story plausi-
BILE?