The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1904-03-31


him dirt" When the big powwow is
held in Nashville, April 7, there will
likely oacur a fight that will attract the
eyes Of the republic Of Tennessee, and
furnish Mr.. Roosevelt with an object
lesson in boss-controlled politics, For
years past G. o. p. conventions in this
commonwealth have been parti-eolored
but the indications are that this years
will be mostly white with sprinkling
of polka dots. A pure white Republi-
can convention in Tennessee would be
a sight worth going miles to see, but it
may be years and years before anyone
gets an opportunity to take the trip.
These unseemly gatherings were not
expected. tt was commonly under
stood that Brownlow had such COM
pact organization that no one would
dare challege his authority. This, it
appeare, was a huge mistake. The
feud between the boss and II. Clay
Evans has been revived, aud the bench
men of the latter are making q grand eff
fort to compass the downfall of the
former Newell Sanders, OF Chattanoo
go. is leading the Evans forces and Eos
ter V. Brown, of the same city, the
RroMnlow crowd. The ostensible prize
is the gubernatorial nomination. but
the real stake is vengeance. L. j. San
ford, of Knoxville is the Evans candi-
date, and Brownlow has pissed the
word down the line that Jesse NJ. Lit
tleton will be the party nominee. I'm
Gle David Mum is free lance candi-
date. He has munger of delegates
instructed for him, and if the decision
of the convention is uncertain he can
employ his holdings to his own advan-
tage and once more draw pay from Vn-
Gle Sam.
Brownlow seems to be master OF the
situation. He controls the State Cen.
trail Committee, and will organize the
convention. If he thinks it advisable
he will have himself elected permanent
chairman. Under arule adopted by
his convention four years ago, at the
time of abe celebrated Evans bolt, the
permanent chairman appoints twelve
members of the executive committee
and the ten districts elect one each
This rule clinched the wiley boss con
troll of the machine, and made him all
powerful. The committee decides al
contests, and passes bpon the creden
dentials of every county delegation. Its
verdict is final and no appeal can bt
taken. Consequently the Brownlov
delegations will be seated in every in
stance. This was the scheme that CO.
bel worked at the Louisville conven
ton which nominated him governor o
Kentucky, and Brownlow has adopted
it and put it into such strict practice
that de is dictator SO lcng as his follow
ers are loyal. 1t is pernicious and ha
destroyed the usefulness of the Repub
lican partp in Tennessee, making it
scrength and influence weaker AM
weaker each year. Ii the the Negro
were eliminatek altogether from poll
tics in this State, and the rule of tn
boss overthrow, the Republican, coul,
put up more aggreeive fight than the.
have made in the past, and the Demo
racy would progt thereby. inst a few
: years ago the FIRST, Sepond, Third an
Eighth congressional districts wer
represented by Republicans, and no
long back of that the Tenth. No.
there are only two, and the Evans me
aver that Brownlow wants only one
his own. The Democrats would turf
them all out if they could and if Brow
LEWIS methods continue in vogue, the
may do it. His district has sent a den
ecrat to congress, and the Hale-Austi
; feud may convert the Second baliwic
into the Democratic fold.
Tennessee was among the first of th
t Southern States to begin the forms
q ton OF white Republican party, br
Rooseyelt's change of heart killed th
movement. The renewal of the Brow
low Evans feud may resuscitate tht
$ plan. From the news specials in yes
terday's Commercial Appealit appear
that the negro boilers were largel
Evans men, and if they are shut out {
the State convention and white deli
gates seated. it will naturally give a
. impetus to the lilly white party
q Brownlow would not care to have sue
an idea go fourth, for the reason thu
it might cripple his influence with th
: administration and the Republica
leaders ofthe North. But if he persist
in unseating the Evans negroes the
leader can unhorse the boss by maxim
certain representations to the pres
dent. Roosevelt knows that that
cannot carry Tennessee, and he is {
Q erratic that he would be quick to tax
e sides with Evans if he thought Brow
Q low was doing" the colored brothe
Were he to remove Brownlow from IL
Q post of dispenser Of patronage for th
State and give it to Evans, the bos