The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1906-09-21


manner of choosing Presidential electors a
power lodged exclusively with the States BY
the second section OF the second article OF the
Constitution, which declares that Each State
shall appoint in such manner as the Legislature
may direct the number OF Presidential cleo
tors to which the States shall be entitled
As every second election OF members OF Con-
gress would fall in the year and at the same
time OF choosing Presidential electors, it viii
be seen that new regulations would be fur
nished without the consent of the State
II would also have been an inevitable result
that this mixture of Federal and State control
would have affected all elections in the states
held at the time OF choosing members OF Con-
| gress. and an army of United States marshals
would have been created to threaten and intim-
idate the voters.
That the law apparently of general ap-
plication did not hide the real design. which
was to control elections in the South and to
perpetuate by civil power and armed force Re-
publican rule.
Now comes this champion of the force BILL
| this gentleman who forgets for what he voted
and reads lecture pure elections to our
people and indicts us for high crimes and mis-
demeanors
He wants to disfranchise all who give or re-
ceve bride to vote in Tennessee and this is
commendable. but he could not carry this too
far or there would be but little left OF the Re-
publican party in the country and Mr.. Evans
might find himself political orphan.
Mr. Evans speaks of frauds in Memphis
Nashville, Knoxville and Chattanooga and
these we admit with and shame, but
he does not speak of the poll tax frauds in the
contest with Turney, and he forgets that the
Republican party has bought at least three
Presidential elections since the war and stolen
one.
He tells with all the fire, life and color of
a statistical abstract of gerrymandering dis
tricts in this State. but he does not tell how
Pan ifpnn hnxya
districts in Northern States whenever 1t suited
their partisan purpose.
Nothing seems to please Mr. Evans. He is
in constant state OF eruption and rebellion |
He even complains OF living in a ward three |
miles long, but the Democrats of Chattanooga
know Mr. Evans and appreciative of him, |
even If he is of them
They knew that "pent up Utica could |
confine his powers" that he needed elbow room,
and nothing less than a ward three miles long |
could hold him in comfort. Even then he is not |
satisfied, and while holding up the soiled linen
of the State of his adoption to the public gaze,
he oyerlooks that in the Republican State of
Pennsylvania bribery, fraud and corruption
have so honeycombed every branch of the pub
lie service that in comparison the Democrats
of Tennessee angels of light. We cannot
disguise, however, that we have fallen upon
evil times politically, but the Democratic party
faces the danger and proposes to end. not it's
own fraud alone, but all fraud whether
mitted by Republicans or Democrats. We
shall strive utmost to erect higher stand
ards of political action, and to return to the old
ideals of purity which our fathers had in the
days before money had corrupted the national
conscience, and the virus of negro suffrage
which the Republican, party fastened upon a
ravaged land and HELPLESS people had tainted
the pure current Of our political thought. u
Mr., Evans quotes the q or Of Tennessea
as saying that as bot want an
{nf ion fI34f hal IA aha.-tn
hs v5Ss tbaE vot1l for the - s
his Language Praise God and the oov-
/ do not know whether the Governor is cor
ectly quoted by Mr.. Evans but IL he is, the q
ght in Tennessee for conditions came U
ot too soon for IL one man has the power to 8
ave or not have honest elections. the sooner
hat power is taken away the better 1t will be =
or the State and all the people. v
The plain meaning of Mr. Evans is to use =
his statement a threat, but 1t has ter
ors for me, for asking no favors. AS
he nominee of the Democratic party in whose "
rinciples believe, which constitute to-day the Il
aving force of the republic, am advocating Il
air elections and the Democratic masses of
mis- State favor them and If cannot win with
ut fraud, do not want to win with It, II
All / have the right to expect. all want +
an honest election If 1t is given, and have O.
0 reason to charge that 1t will not be- my f
Jay find comfort in another Federal appoint a.
ent and will never again exhibit his ban n
aged toe to the sympathetic gaze of Tonnes
cans. u
EcoRD OF DEMOCRATIC PARTY IN W
sTATE-sTATE DEBT.
al
No Democrat need be ashamed of the record n,
ade by the Democratic party in the State. b,
,hatever mistakes 1t has made 1t proposes h,
correct, but It's service to the people In the OF
ark days of reconstruction will never be for
bitten as long as memory lasts the history hi
those troubous times is read 1t led dis o.
anchised people back to power and rehabili- OF
ted shattered and debt-rdden government he
If it had other recommendation 1t would or