Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-05-16
The State Counted as a Republican
Possibility.
FACTIONS IN BOTH PARTIES
Troubles in the Recent State Con-
ventions.
SEN RIAL ASPIRANT rs

sibilites.' The Bourbon democracy is rock
ribbed or mossback, according to the point
of view, yet there Is the unchanging re-
publican majority in east Tennessee. and
the industrial development of the entire
state. which should give encouragement for
progressive politics. The prospects look
more encouraging at distance than they
do on the ground.
Before coming to Tennessee I had heard
much of the expansion sentiment as the
wedge which would split the reactionary
democracy. OF its existence there can be
no question. decided element of the bus
mess men IS expansionst, and some of the
political leaders also of that mind. Sem
timentally and historically the idea should
find Judgment for the determination of the
Tennesseeans to expand and control the nav
igation of the Mississippi to the gulf had
marked influence on public policy century
ago. But in its practical bearings the ex-
panson sentiment as it exists today is dis
appointing. The democratic expansionists
for the most part are supporting rabid anti
expansion candidates for office. They have
proven themselves f1abby in fighting for the
principle in which they protested to believe.
Recent Democratic Convention.
The echoes are still resounding from the
democratic state convention which was held
last week. That was the opportunity to
bring the democratic party in the state to
higher level than it has occupied for many
years. Some Of the leading men were hope
full that it might be DONE They did not
look for a pronounced expansion plank, but
they hoped to keep the party from commit
ting itself the other way. They succeeded
in framing platform which was not reac-
tionary, but when their work was attacked
in the convention most of them took to
cover. They let the antl-expansionists put
in strong reactiOnary plank. and then said
1t didn't matter much. anyhow. Some stir
fighting their own part might nave MADE
It matter.
The congressional delegation was largely
represented in the convention and had
much to do with the course taken in repu-
dating the mild expansion plank which
was reported by the committee on resolu-
tons The fight was led by Representa-
tive Carmack of the Memphis district. VINO
is prominent candidate for senator. The
result is to make sure that whoever Is
chosen by the legislature that is to be
elected in November will be thoroughly
committed against expansion. Carmack
chief opponent is likely to be Governor
Benton McMllin, who was renominated by
the convention. Governor McMillin Is a
receptive senatorial candidate. He could
not make an open race for both places at
the same time but 1t Is we'll understood
that If he has a large majority for governor
he will seek the senatOrship. In conse-
quence his friends will exert themselves
to roll up a big vote. His administration as
governor seems ~ nave Dteli d Soou oho
and satisfactory to the people Of the state
Judge snodgrnss n Candidate.
Another candidate for senator is Judge
Snodgrass Of the state supreme court. He
has had the courage of his convictions all
the way through He stood up In the con-
vention and supported the unpopular plank.
Probably 1t was not strong enough for him.
The congressman who had come on from
Washington to oppose expansion called the
plank a straddle, and they were right; but
its adoption would have been a moral vic
tory for the expansionists. / do not know
that Judge Snodgrass would have benefited
politically by this action, for the political
conditions in the state do not appear to be
favorable to his senatorial ambition. This
Is regardless of the issues. 1t has been the
jest of the politicians that the only means
for Judge SnodgraSs to reach the Senate
would be for him to shoot his way there.
This refers to incident a few years back.
when the judge took pistol and wounded
an unpopular lawyer who questioned the
integrity of his judicial decisions. The cpl
sode has no bearing the present contest.
but II the jurst could inject little expan-
sion tonic into his party by the same means
he would be doing 1t marked service.
Race Question Has Disappeared.
The race question has about disappeared
in Tennessee. BY means Of the Australian
ballots and other contrivances the negroes
have been so effectually disfranchised that
no democratic politician can raise an alarm
over the danger Of black supremacy. In
one of the newspaper offices in Memphis l
was told that the race issue was dead
dog" The further information was given
me that the negroes in the cotton districts
were raising unusually large crops on
shares and were becoming taxpayers at a
surprising rate. l was also told that the
cotton handled by Memphis this year would
bring $16.OOO,00O more to the city than 1t
received a year ago. though that was also
good season.
In spite of the general commercial pros
perity there is some doubt whether McKin-
ley will have large a majority as was
given him in 1896. This is said to be due
to the failure of the gold democrats to re-
ceive what they call recognition from tho
national administration.
The gold democrats, so called. are repub-
licans in fact. for they indorse the repub-
lican financial policy, the expansion policy
and are at least tolerant of the republican
tariff system. But they are not willing to
become republicans in name as well as in
principle. Consequently, many OF them will
support ant-expansion candidates on an
anti-expansion platform because 1t Is Ia
beled democratic" There is sharp
struggle for the congressional nomination
between Gen. NJ. r. Patterson. son of the
former congressman and Mr.. Manson,
shrewd political wirepuler. The charge
that Patterson has gold leanings Is more
than offset by the admitted fact that Man
son named one of his boys Grover Cleve-
land.
Republican Politics Not Encouraging.
There is republican politics in Tennessee,
but not of an encouraging kind. One Of the
younger generation Of business men In
Nashville who has had his share in the de-
velopment of the new south explained the
situation to me. He said: II am not much
interested in politics, but I'm tired Of being
a democrat. Now, I don't care about ex-
pansion, but those fellows who ran that
convention are just the same when anything
progressive comes up They do their best
to keep Tennessee In a rut. What we have
done in the way Of trade and industry has
been in spite Of them. I'd vote the republi-
can ticket, but that crowd isn't much bet
ter They never seem to think of anything
except the offices. and they're always cut
ting one anothers threats to get them.
Look at them now. All you hear Is about
their delegates and who shall be recognized
to distribute the patronage. That doesn't
concern me. I'd support any sort Of good
men who stood for something besides the
offices, but l shan't bother until their fac
tons quit sQuabbling.
I have heard the same talk from other
business men. Some of them gave 1t an
excuse for continuing to vote the demo-
cratic ticket. which represents everything
in which they do not believe. Others were
In earnest In wanting to support the repub-
lican party when 1t stands for something