New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-01-04
TRYING TO STEAL A STATE.
A INDUSTRIOUS POLITICAL CRIME CONTEM-
PLATED IN TENNESSEE.
4 DESPERATE DEMOCRATIC RING PREPARING TO
CHEAT GOVERNOR ELECT EVANS OUT OF
HIS sEAT-rNFAMY DENOUNCED BY
DEMOCRATS AND REPUB-
LICANs ALIKE.

HIS sEAT-rNFAMy DENOUNCED BY
DEMOCRATS AND REPUB-
LICANs ALIKE.
fFRoM A STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNEI
Nashville Tenn, Jan. 3-Tennessee elected
Republican Governor in November. but DEM
ocratic politicians are determined to count him
out. II they strain the State Constitution.
violate all precedents relating to election contests
and break up their party. After months
delay the Secretary of State on December i2 pub
lished the vote for Governor showing the election
OF H. Clay Evans, Republican, by a plurality Of
74S votes over Turney, Democrat. He admits
that the plurality will be between 800 and 600
after all errors in the poll lists and tally sheets
are corrected and that the sealed returns to be
opened by the presiding officer Of the Senate be-
fore the Legislature next week will show a corre-
spending result. Evans has prIma facle evidence
OF election. and by the Constitution Of the State
should be allowed to take the Office. a desperate
political ring is conspiring to cheat him out Of
his election by converting the Legislature. In
which there is a Democratic majority, into a re-
turning board The plan Of operation Is sim
! pie When the State returns opened and one
~ the East Tennessee counties Is reached. a
Democratic member will move an investigation
OF the alleged irregularities In the payment Of
citizenship. II this obstructive motion be carried
the result Of the election will not be declared and
Governor Turney will remain in Office, holding
over under the Constitution. The investigation
will be prolonged Indefinitely. and Turney VIII
be finally declared 10 have been reelected 10y the
people.
am convinced. ate. taking with Governor
Turney. william -. carroll, chairman of the
Democrntic state Committee. and other Demo
| cratic leaders that this plan will be carried out
I offered Governor Turncy fun facilities for stat
ing his side of the case. bat he declined 10 say
any hing beyond expressing hi- conviction ihat
he had been elected and That the Constitution
empowered the Legislature to 90 behind the re-
turns and investigate the election irregularities
when | reminded him that the Republicans con
tended that on the face Il the returns b" ought
20 be the contestant. he aid that ih"v were
wrong about II. When asked him If he would
hold over pending an investigation, he as
scntcd He closed the conversation abruptly ny
declaring That he entertained no doubt What-
ever that Do would remain in Office as Governor
~ tho state during tho next two years. Mr.
Carroll is loud in his frotcsiatons "i ~"al i'r
the purla.aton ~ the ballot. and makes an
elaborate defence q the conduct of the Secie-
tar ~ s.a,c and hair-sptting argument -
the constitutional right 81 the Legislature 20 act
a. a returning board. but be- docs not conceal ms
purpos. u keeping Evans ou; II Office through
Legislative action.
Tho Republicans take the ground that the con-
s,itution provides simply that 'he returns sha'
10. opened and declared In the presence oil 'he
'exislature. and that the person having Tue
highest number OF votes shall De "oNe'"". ~
Mr. Evans has a plurality on he fac oi 'he
returns he ought o. take the oihce' ana not u
be put I'm the position OF "A contestant ana '"'''"
o. establish hls claim. The Constitution 'n
powers the Legislature to enact I"ws '"I .on
tested elections. but no statutes i'I "i'S ~" 80,
have eyer been passed The k'Uu'i''' ''N'
;helr sta-d the universal pIh' 'N'' ~ ~,
tested rascs which l. T. allow th' 'tl'i"".-
r..t,y rrifu. f4rl. evidence - flglt tn' lst' 4"
the seat They say In a word. Let H'""S ''"'
tho o,th u oflre and let the Legislature e'nD - =
Jaw by which Turuey can contest m, ''y' 10
/, t,,..fle,tlan h. wanted. The Kepuo"cdn'
can civ. tho L"gisatur" plenty ~ "liN. MP
ar. fully prepared tl meet the l'ili''.".' '''' -
lions Of irrrguarity in p'll-taN payments '' ,'
,.,s,.rn counties bv demonstrating that slnl"I
conditions prevailed in the western am ''
counties Whcr' maj'Uti"s Weir '''," ,t ,ii
Turney They are a.~1 armed WIN Iv' '''" ,'i
array ~ evidence disclosing fsduis oi a4'.h7"'"s
magnitude They viii prove lhat Ia il''J".tay 49,
1895 against Evans In fAye'' '""I' t,irs,
h,va h.on al least 800 for him IN me r'S'
Trc.fr.f where ne ~ credited with 10 N"',S
they have the afdavits ~ ninety-h'' u,'m "''s -,
voted for him They have fhiIht 'N'u'..i
bv the poling lists that men VINO were o"' ~ Nv .o
s,,te ar Sick I'm bed or peacefully sleeping III t''
cemeteries were recorded as .ouhe @ ~. -t,,i
-, = a,I.ri,i. county where Evans was cr'dltrn
Win POI votes there are afhdav's IN .ri,inn nann
showing that 55S men voted Tor nm ~ H.
and Madison counties similar rauuS ~, az" ,h.
ros.d About 5000 votes are aHccte" III ~ t'
four counties named: and this Is ohly "'e'
ming Of the Republican Sase. , :, ,nust
To th. credit OF the Democratic party II NJ, ~
he added that the best journals ana men al ar ,' 49,
rcvot against the policy ~ cheating lam lam w., y,
:, bIs e,ectIon and allowing Governor iurhrS :"
hold Office which does Mn%phs @%l sy sSim
.. nm ..,,,,nhts Avalanche' and "Chattan"os"
T,mes are denouncng the unprincipled lm', ~
II the political gang which Is makihs lo"' r.
covernnr Turney and the Legislature ~, -
PICKETT and Mr. Baskette have TAX" a spn
honorable stand in this mater; '',t,c al" onn!6n
mor,ed hv all the moral forces OF pubic "r,4 ', ~
p ~ ,he stat They condemn the counting st,. ou.
Evans as a high handed outrage Wi,"uu' 'ny break
,',daraI warrant and declare that II may my o,t"
,r ,he Democratic party and carry the prasi
into r the Republican column In the next r