The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-06-08
THE PLATFORM
IN TENNESSEE.
Memphis Commercial Appeal

The platform adopted by the Dem
ocratic party Of Tennessee can hard
" fail to commend itFelf to all
thoughtful citizens Of the state. 1t
is in accord with the progressive
ISatfOrm on which Gen. Patterson
won a unanimous nomination for
governor from his party. 1t demands
ELECTORAL and revenue reform, and
it stands for all the best traditions
of Democracy.
A great many Democrats have been
dissatisfied with the power placed in
the han6s Of the governor to name
three election commissioners in eVerr
county in the state; for this gives
the governor control of the elections
II, every county If he has a mind to
assume il. 1t enables him to build
up a remorseless machine, which the
people will have much trouble in
smashing. It violates the cardinal
Jeffersonian doctrine of local home
rule. Any thoughtful man will recog-
nize the fact that a city ought to be
protected in the regulation Of its af-
fairs from state and county. Mem
phis, with certain limitations. should
have entire control of her exclusive
" municipal affairs, and the COVER
nor should have no voice in the
elections in Shelby county or the city
OF Memphis. An INSCRIPTIONS execu-
tive for his own purposes can inflict
upon a city an election commission
in which the people have absolutely
no confidence. and such a commits
sion can be made a potent instru-
ment in corrupting the ballot and dis
franchising the citizens. This pro-
vision in our election law was a de-
vice Of shOrt-sighted politicians, and
was at best but an experiment. I'm
QuestiOnably il has failed, for, it has
enabled Democrats to swinule Demo-
Gratis, and the dissatisfaction aroused
by it is widespread. Unless the
Democracy had taken steps to change
Il and restore to the people the
power wrested from them, a Repub-
lican governor would have been
among the early probabilities. In
Democratic cities like Memphis and.
Nashville the Republicans would
have been in control of our elections,
and at every polling place in this
county there would be seven Repub-
l,cans officers OF election to two Dem
ocrats. This indeed, is the prospect
held out to us, If Mr.. Evans is
elected.
That our revenue law needs the re-
forming hand is also a self-evident
proposition. We have our county as
SCISSORS who estimate the value Of
property Their work is supervised
BY a county board of equalization
Then the state board of equahzers,
of which the comptroller is a mem
Der, passes on it. and the law de-
clares that the action Of this state
board Is final In spite of this a
agent appointed by the
comptroller is turned loose upon
the taxpayers and allowed to undo
the work of the assessor, the county
board OF equalizers and even that Of
his chief the comptroller. After
citizens have paid all the taxes as
sessed against them, then this agent
can back-assess them for three
years. 1t is indeed a mOnstrous prop
osition. and it is no wonder that the
are indignant at this sys-
TEN Of taX-eating. Now. however. il
stands condemned by the Democratic /
for governor and the Dem
ocratic platform.
The election Of Patterson on such
a platform will mark a red-letter day
In the history Of Tennessee.