Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-07
EVANS FOR GOVERNOR
Tennessee RepublicansClamo
for His Leadership.
DE M OCR A TIC FEARS
CONTEST BETWEEN BOB TAYLOR
AND SENATOR CARMACK.
Believed That Breach Will Widen
Faith in Evans Ability to
Garry the State.


NASHVILLE, Tenn, August 4, 1905.
Notwithstanding the next election for gov
ernor In this state is more than a year off,
there is more wire pulling going on now than
there has been in many years. The state
has had some very hot contests in days gone
by, but from present Indications the battle
next year will eclipse anything ever before
experienced.
The democratic clans are taking sides be-
tween Bob Taylor and E. w. Carmack for
senator and it is to be battle royal if the
present indications are any criterion. Ex-
Gov. Taylor probably caused more enthu-
siasm among the masses than has any other
man in the state. He is witty and a good
reasoner. Senator Carmack has a strong
machine at his back. but 1t is somewhat out
of order, because it is said that he has not
kept hands off in local contests. But Car
mack has become seasoned in the Senate
since his entrance to that body, and his
friends claim that while Taylor may have
the crowds, Carmack will get the votes.
w nat is worrying the democratic politi-
clans more than anything else is the fear
that there will arise democratic dissension
as a result of the contest, and that ii will
work to the advantage of H. Clay Evans in
the race his friends appear to be determined
he Shall make for governor. The democrat
ic politicians, of course, openly ridicule this
view and say that the sena torial fight will
have no bad effect, from a democratic stand
point, on the gubernatorial battle, but II is
apparent on all sides that they fear the con-
sequences.
Anger over the counting out of Evans by
the democratic legislature in 1894 has been
smoldering in the hearts of the voters all
these years, and it would not be surprising,
II ne makes the race, to see him get
large majority The leading democratic
papers in the state counseled against seat
Ing Turney, Evans opponent and the argu-
ments advanced by said papers made last
ing impression on the voters, so it is claim
ed by those who insist that Evans would
sweep the state like a whirlwind.
The republicans claim that there is not
particle or doubt that Evans was elected
by from four thousand to five thousand ma
1ority, but that the democratic machine had
been oiled so long by the petty offices be-
slowed about the capitol that it was bent
on keeping the offices and when the Evans
vote began to show great gains, republl-
cans say, the machine beganSto swell the
vote in democratic counties; but even this
failed, for when the battle was over ac-
cording to democratic figures, Evans ma
jority was 14S.
Contest Begins.
Then the contest begun They went over
the republican counties with a searchlight,
ignoring, excepting in isolated cases, the
protests of Evans attorneys relative to
democratic counties, and wound up by de-
claring Evans had been defeated by 2,1S0
votes.
AS an excuse for the counting out of
Evans, the democrats claimed that hun
dreds of votes had been cast by men who
had not paid poll tax, whereas the facts
were that the per cent of men who failed
to pay poll tax did not exceed the number
who had right to vote without paying it
because of their age.
The people believe these things to be
true. The democratic papers which cried
out against the steal aided In forming
the rank and file. That's why the poll.i-
clans In teh democratic party fear Evans.
They know the people have a way OF max
ing things right when they have the oppor-
tunity. There was joy among the demo-
cratic politicians when Evans was appoint
ed commissioner OF pensions. They felt
elated when he was sent to London, for