The National tribune., 1900-04-26

in Presidently Mckinley bringing him to
the front with the important appointment
of Commissioner of Pensions. The eXer-
else of a reasonable amount of ability and
tact on his part would give every hope of
consolidating and Strengthening the party
in Tennessee, until the State was safely
lodged in the Republican column, and the
Solid South broken by the loss Of a State
which was almost the keystone Of the
arch. But by his maladroitness at every
step, by his intense egotism, and his inor-
dinate, selfish craving for everything In
sight Mr.. Evans began driving the other
Republicans from him, and though he had
active support of the Federal appointees
throughout the State. who stood by him
from mistaken party fealty, he became so
unpopular that when an appeal was made
to the,people of Tennessee, he was defeated
almost everywhere by humiliating majori-
ties. His own County and Ward went
against him very decidedly. The uncom-
promising Republicans of East Tennessee,
as earnest and Jealous as any in the Ma
ton, would have Absolutely none OF him.
With all the ofice-holder influence at his
back he could not muster much over 100
real delegates out OF about $50. Had he
been animated by a genuine desire for the
good of his party, he would have accepted
this defeat as gracefully as possible, as
other farther-sighted politicians have done
in the past, and joined in with the victors
in hearty cooperation for the party's sue
cess. Such was the course dictated alike
by gratitude for the fayors which he has
hitherto received from Tennessee Republi-
cans, by genuine desire for the party's
success, now and in the future, by the best
interests of Republicanism in the whole
South, and by proper regard for the
political fortunes of President Mckinley.
But his overweening self-love would no
more permit this clearly correct course
than it would permit his doing the right
thing as Commissioner of Pensions. Again
we have a startling exhibition of the
same characteristics which have marked
his career as Commissioners vehement
claim that something else than the truth is
the truth, tricks and juggling with plain,
obvious facts, and noisy denunciations Of
every body else as scoundrels and corrup
tionists. Again, he would make himself
out as the only really honest man in
Tennessee, and struggling desperately
against leagued dishonesty and corrup-
ton. Every Republican in Tennessee, who
does not entirely approve Of him. becomes
even worse than the pension sharks" the
"cla'm-agents," the frauds, with whom he
has been battling in Washington. He
trumps up lot of contested delegations" !"
e favorite trick Of his type of rule or ruin"
politician, and when these are properly de-
pied admission by the regularly elected
delegates, he does not even submit their
| claims to the regular party tribunal for
adjudication, but organizes with them
bolter's convention, which ipdorses his
pension policy as the main plank in its
platform. He sends the following astound-
ing dispatch to the press to explain his
defeat:
Situation most embarrassing and humil-
ating. No box stuffing and perjury ever
equaled what we have here. Decency
thoroughly Disguised"
He would describe in this way an over
whelming majority of Tennessee Repub-
licans.
He now proposes to disturb the harmony
Of the Republican National Convention at
Philadelphia, by trying to force fight in
it 10 decide whether the great bulk of the
Republicans in Tennessee, acting through
thoir regular party machinery, shall re-
ceive the recognition Of the National Con-
vention, or whether the Republican party
in Tennessee shall be held TO mean simply
Henry Clay Exams, and such followers as
he may designate. He is willing TO utterly
disrupt the Republican party in Tennessee
check its growth for years, give a severe
blow TO Republicanism throughout the
whole South, and endanger the success Of
the party in the Nation, simply to promote
his own selfish interests, and keep himself
before the public.
Verify, he will have his reward.