Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-04-29
THE TENNESSEE REPUBLICANS.

The development in the Evans
Brownlow war in Tennessee are not
only highly spicy but are OF a nature
to interest the student of Southern po-
iitical history as 1t is being writ. BY
the aid of persons who saw the affair
from the Inside we are permitted to
look beyond the bare fact of wide
open split in Tennessee Republicanism
and get at the nature OF the disrup-
tive forces. The Knoxville Journal and
Tribune the organ of Tennessee Repub-
lica.ism says:
No principle Is involved. The only
issue Is supremacy at the pie counter.
Ihere Will not be enough pie to go
scrouge in and keep the other out
csrouge in and keep the other out.
Ihere is no controversy as to who shall
preside; but who shall be in the front
rank when it is being handed out. that
is ALL"
Republican high up in the councils
OF his party tells the Chattanooga
Times that Mckinley and Hanna had
planned to break the solid South by
carrying Kentucky and Tennessee.
After the assassination OF GoebeL Ken
lucky was given up as hopeless and at
tention was turned to Tennessee. where
1T was proposed to dump money by
the barrel" The speaker continues:
Senator Hanna and Secretary Dick
greatly encouraged us as did also Gen.
Grosvernor. of Ohio President McNin-
ley took n warm personal interest in the
| movement. Everything was going on
beautifully until the Brownlow- Evans
animositics started up several months
ago. We tried to head it off. but the
ofhce-holders and oflce-seekers, thirst
ing for patronage. baked our efforts at
every turn. The climax has now been
reached. The party is split wide open.
tennessee is lost to the Republicans
beyond all hope, not only this year but
for score of years at least"
A non-partlsan spectator OF the
scenes that eliminated in the split tells
the same paper:
II realized the moment I arrived in
Nashville that each faction was striking
over the shoulders of the colored dele
gates. Wherever I went-and 1 passed
back and forth between both hotels and
mingled freely with both the vans and
the Brownlow clans-I was confronted
with the cry that the other side was
dominated by the niger element and
| that the question had finally come as to
whether or net the white Republicans
| of Tennessee were to be ruled by the
ignorant. brutal and vicious negro
vote The Brownlow men roundly
abused the Evans delegates as bigger
trucking leaders,; the Evans men re-
taliated that for twenty years the
| Brownlow gang had lived and thrived'
on the black mans vote"
Thus has 1t become manifest that
Southern Republicanism has learned
nothing In thirty years. The only appeal
! to 1t lies through it's stomach. Turbu-
lent. factlonal always a-hunger for the
fiesh-pots of Federal patronage it goes
on waging war with itself and merrily
stabbing In the back as of yore. It's one
change has been growing contempt
for. and Increasing ingratitude toward,
the negro, as 1t has lost hope OF local
victories through his vote. Having no
principles 1t knows no law. not even
that of self-preservation. There is not
in 1t the raw material for a reputable
political party and 1t will be to the end
the tool and plaything of the designing
and INSCRIPTIONS.