The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1898-07-07
In Convection Assembled the
Unterrified of Tennessee
Choose a Leader.
The HON. BENTON MCMILLIA
Unanimously Nominated for
Governor Amidst Scenes
of Enthusiasm That
Thrilled.
For Governor, Benton MclIillin.

For Governor, Benton MclIillin.
For Railroad Commissioners, N. W.
Baptist, J. N. Mckenzie, T. L. Will
liams.
This is the ticket that has been
chosen by Democrats of Tennessee in
convention assembled. The labors OF
the convention were completed this
morning at 1890 o'clock and the dele
gates will return home after spending
only one day in the convention.
Not for moment had the nemina-
ton of Mr.. McMillin been uncertain
for the past two months, and the race
of the candidates for the Railroad Com
mission was settled when a vote was
taken in the convention in the after
noon on the endorsement Of the action
of the present commissioners in max
ing the recent assessments on railroad
telegraph and telephone properties.
The convention refused to endorse this
action by a vote of about two to one and
also defeated the present commission
ers by the same figures. The test vote
was practically perfect.
There were three distinct features o.
the convention, namely, the great en-
thusiasm which greeted the nomination
Of Mr.. McMillin for Governor, the ex
citing scenes in the debate on the mi
nority report of the Committee on Plat
form in respect to the endorsement o
1 the action Of the present commission
ers, and and the nomination Of the new
candidates for the commission.
Mr.. McMillin was nominated by ac
cIamation amid the widest enthusiasm
The whole convention arose in a bod,
and cheered until the rsfters rang witt
lusty shouts. Handkerchiefs wer
waved and hats and canes made tn
Auditorium look as if a cyclone ha
strueh it. No other candidate for tn
| nomination for Governor was mention
ed and Mr.. McMillin must have fel
.. gratified when he received such fiat
tering ovation. The nomination wa
made in the early part of the night.
The scenes that we're witnessed whe
George Armistead presented a minOl
ity report of the committee on Platforr
seeking to indorse the actions OF th
present Railroad Commissioners wi
not be soon forgotten. He knew tha
lhe was facing hopeless opposition an
although the crowd yelled, "put hil
ont" he stood it manfully and fnall
i. succeeded in making his entire sPesc
in favor of the report.
J Davidson county voted against Il
: minority report and for McKenzi
L Baptist and Williams.
Therace for the Railroad Commissic
: had been settled before the ballotir
began late at night and the casting
the first ballot which determined Il
matter proceeded with some forced e
thusiasm and cheers. The lateaess
the hour and the desire of the delegat
TO get away, made the tellers huri
through their work and they gave o.
an approximate result which will n
vary far from the actual count. 1t W
as follows:
Baptist 1,Oss, Mckenzie 1,O61, w
liams 1859, Bullock 554, White 81
Thompson 500. Whitaker 9, Friers
80.
After it was seen that the WHINE
we're sure many counties changed tn
votes from the weaker candidates
them and there was so much confusi
that the changes we're slightly nike
but the Approximate result given "
vary but three OF four figures from
correct returns.
a. The defeat of the present comm
(. sioners l. regarded in several ways
= the delegation. Some say that
means that the Railroad commissi
= Law will be repealed ultimately q
- that the convention in defeating tn
n plaeea itself in an awkward pssiti
.M In that the platform indorses the wh
y administration. and the convent
IS which adopted the platform got
1y leg across the fence and kicked
= present commissioners IN the face.
II The newly nominated candidates
8 made shert speeches, saying that :
woxsd deal fairly With the people
q the railroads alike, and that they we
81 be perfectly impartial IN doing u
ldaty as they saw it.
The convention vas called to q
At night at $50 o'clock, aud OF mo'
al OF. B. Frazier nominations for {