The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1897-08-13
THE ELECTION RESULT

majority which may reach 10000 J
The Nashville American Fridayi
says editorily.
The rolumsirom over the State indicated
iho almost certain defeat Of tho call ior a
Constitutional convention. ltnppears 30
have carried IN some OF the cities, bot in
the rural districts, where lho Justices Of
the peace constitute a power in the land,
the majority OF the votes were against Il.
AZ Tie time tbi8 article ia written the i
returns are meagTe, but All tho indications
are that the result has boon aa stated.
The defeat OF the proposition Is due al. /
most entirely 30 the influence of tine Office /
holders mostly 10 that Of the Justices Of /
the peace, who didn't propose Ia take any /
chances ON being deprived Of the honor Of /
sitting in the county court.
Another influence that operated against |
the movement was the opposition of |
large Republican element that feared, or
pretended 10 fear, that "the Democratic
machine" would dominate the convention
and frame an instrument detrimental 90
Republican interests.
All Of these obstacles might have been
overcome II 70 had been possible 10 arouse
the people 20 % thorough interest In the
matter. The Indifference was profound,
asevidenced by less than 700 votes out Of
a possible 10000 being cast IN Nashville.
The great necessity for a change In the
fundamental law still exists and the advO-
Gates OF this change will continue 20 agi-
tate for a Constitutional convention, and
they loel assured Of success i'm the end.
It's much 10 be regretted that the good
work has been postponed.
The Sun comments on the result
as follows:
The proposition TO call Constitutional
convention has been defeated. Thiscom
rs no surprise. For some weeks the fact
has been evident that the people were sad
ly Indifferent about the matter This was
shown in the very small vote cast all over
the State. The coalition between the Re.
publicans and the ofiice-hOlding class had
easy sailing. But notice may be served
rightnO that the movement for new
ConstitutiOn is not dead. In fact, it is
stronger to-day than ever before. II is
only q question Of time before it will final
ly triumph, for it is right, and right, in
the end, must prevail.
The Sun and the American both
endorsed the movement for con-
yeptlOn.
The jackson Wing opposed the
convention, but comments on the
election as follows;
The apathy and indifference manifest
edtoWard the proposed new Constitution
movement was marked and noteworthy
The light vote throughout the State il
proof conclusive that the people careC
little or nothing about, the election, o.
weFo supremely Indifferent TO the vita
question Rt issue. $ While the election
returns show an overwhelming Iaaiorit,
against Constitutional convention, TN
fact remains that the public took, com
paratively little stock in the matter
Can it be that the absence of election
hustlers, free hacks, free Liquor and fire.
poll-taX receipts can account for the ap
athy and light vote that prevailed2 Ca
it be that patriotism and good citizen
ship have ceased to induce electors to r.
to the polls and express themselves Of
soimpoFtant q question as changing tn
organic law Of the State, or can the rea
son for this remarkable indifference b.
found in general disgust Of honest men
who have tired Of the despotic method
of political bosses, who ignore the aotua
returns and count in or out according t
their own sweet will? Has citizenship
and fair elections become o useless fare
in the desperate and uneonsciousabl
gameQt politics as played by unscrupu
lous politicians?
lie these reasons account in any degre
FOR thevery small vote polled, then ma
we ask, Where is the end TO be2"
theplain citizen to tamely turn over tn
ballOt-boK, the officers and the taxin
power to the remorselessp political bosses
or will thepeOple unite in overthrowin
the bold, and desperate gangsters, VIII
are now in She saddle, and once NOR
assume control of their governments
affairsf
What has become of the splendid DEN
ocratic maiOrities in Tennessee? lis theI
not a,salutary lesson to be learned In til
pitiful majority of SO popular candidai
as Governor Robert il. Taylor2 OF OIL
thing we may rest assured, bossism j
Tennessee must go or else the people wi
abandon the old parties and continue
give ballot-boxes the go2 by until vot,
are again counted and honest govern
ment prevails.
The significance of these remark
can best Misunderstood by examil
ing the following figures:
The aggregate number of vot'
cast in the election last week wi
not exceed 10000 whereas in ii
November, 1896, election the tot
vote was approximately 32l, 90
Thus, it will be seen, al, 000vote
nearly a quarter Of a milliOn!-
were Indifferent and declined to e
press themselves on so vital a que
ton as reforming the organic LAY