The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1906-03-08
A REPUBLICAN VIEW OF THE EVANS.
BROwNLOw CONTROVERSY.

A REPUBLICAN VIEW OF THE EVANS.
BROWNLOW CONTROVERSY.
Correspondence Chattanooga Times.)
johnson City, March 2, 1906. mas
much as the reports from the Jonesboro
republican convention have been very
conflicting and, in most cases, mislead
ing, the writer asks the privilege of
your columns to give a correct report
of the proceedings.
He deeires first of all to call attention
to an interview of Hon. Paul e. Devine
published in Tuesdays Knoxville Sen
tinel, and to refute some of the many
misstatements which it contains.
First, as to the method Of calling the
convention. The resolutions adopted
by the executive committee, aud which
embodied the call, were prepared by
the writer. 1t was distinctly stated
that the convention should meet in the
court house at Jonesboro on Saturday,
February "a, at 10 o'clock. This notice
was published in both the johnson
City papers, the Herald and Tribune,
controlled by W. P. Brownlow, refus.
ing to publish it, No force or argu-
ment was employed, as Mr.. Devine
suggests, to influence the committees
action. The resolutions were simply
read to them, and without a single dis
senting voice were adopted,
Mr.. Devine makes the statement that
the court house was packed by the Ev-
ans men. In one sense this is true,
but not in the sense he intended. The
johnson City delegation reached Jones
boro on the regular morning train and
were reinforced there by perhaps q
thousand men from the country dis.
tricts. At 8 80 the "Brownlow Special,
laden with q few federal oficeholder'
and large delegation of old soldiar'
from the national home, arrived. This
train was stopped at a point near thu
court house, and when the Evans mel
saw the crowd alighting they at once
went into the court house. By 1873
the room was filled to its utmost ca
pacity, and in this crowd were not les
than one hundred and fifty old soldiers
brought there, as some of them after
ward stated, to yell for Brownlow. anC
in entire ignorance of the true purpos'
of the convention. D. A. Vines seemed
to be the leader of the Brownlow Wrigh
forces, the writer having been selected
, to lead the fight for the Evans men o.
the floor of the convention. Seem,
the confusing and discomfort of tn
crowd, an agreement was reached be
, tween these two meu whereby the worl
. of the convention should be at one
begun.
5 At this juncture the audience wa
Q being addressed by Hon. A. A. Taylo
in strictly non-partisan spirit, he ad
8 vising the delegates to be cautious an
g fair, and above all to keep down an
! manifestations of i'll will and persons
! malice, Everything was quiet and oil
, derby until one j. B. Cox, repubica
% of questionable status and cousi
and avowed supporter of John /. Go
o for governor, began interrupting th
q speaker in very obnoxious manner
and called upon the iff-raff with whol
he had surrounded himself to add
the confusion. This was the origin {
= of the split which later led to the DO
by the Brownlow men.
When Taylor ceased speaking W,
Garter, the county chairman, called til
convention to order, and A. B. Bowma
8 and D. A. Vines were placed in nom
= nation for chairman by the Evans an
and Brownlow forces respectively.
u There is no doubt in the minds {
u unprejudiced observers that Bowma
u was elected. And here in his recit
Mr.. Devine overlooked this matter,
r which he was fully advised. Seem
n the disorder resulting the writer toe
o the floor and made the following pro-
!. osition (it being the earnest desire
@ the Evans men to prevent bol) viz
@ that the Evans men occupy one side
il the court house, the Brownlow- Wrigl
= men the other, and if the former d
!. not embrace rs per cent. of the legal
n constituted voters present, then l
d pledged himself as spokesman for IL
Evans men to withdraw all opposite
to Mr.. Wright and endorse him or an
other man that Brownlow would nam
: and support him, not only then an
% there, but would stand by him unit
. the polls closed in November.
= And if Mr.. Devine was so positive
. to the preponderance of Brownlow me
:. during the fight, as he pretends to |
since the fight, then the writer fails
: understand why he failed to accept Il
proposition, instead of calling loud
;. for the Brownlow men to leave the COZ
y vention.
Mr.. Devine himself did leave IL
court room, and taking up his positiC
on the court house steps declared b