The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1907-06-06
COMPLEXION OF STATE COMMITTEE.
Only Five of Fifteen to be BrOWnlON
Men.

UnlY rive Oh Fllleeh 10 De bfOWnlOW
The man who keeps on the lookout
for news among republican politicians
has found that much interest centers
in the approaching meeting of the re-
publican state executive committee,
which will perhaps oe called at an ear
ly date. At that meeting much bust
ness no doubt will be transacted and of
nature that will be far-reaching in its
effect.
The first thing which will be done
will be to elect a member to fill the va
cancy caused by the death of Hon.
Emerson Etheridge Bell. Mr.. Bell
was a Brownlow man and his successor
who will be elected, will be Sanders
man. When this is done it is said that
there will be fifteen Sanders men and
five Brownlow men upon the state
committee. The state committee is
very important, owing to the fact that
it makes up the temporary roll of the
convention, which sometimes is very
advantageous to those seeking to con-
troll the state convention.
Another very important thing which
will be done at the approaching con.
vention will be to pass upon and de-
termine contests. There now exists,
principally in the First district, dual
OF ganizations, each contending that
the legitimate power to control and
shape the destiny Of the party belongs
to it. These organizations exist in Car
ter, Washington and various Other
counties and they are generally known
as the Brownlow and Alf Taylor or
CARNATIONS. Perhaps the strongest
Alf Taylor organizations exist in Car
ter aud Washington counties, and al
this point of view there seems to be
Dub IlIbl6 uOuUb tAhb lute6 Will 10 We
clared the regular organizations by
the state committee and that tht
Brownlow organizations in these tive
counties will be dissolved.
1t is argued that the BrownIoN
strength has been tried time aud agar
in mass meetings and county conven
tions in Washington county and tha
he has failed to show sufficient strength
to warrant to control. The first in
stance of this kind was the mass meet
ing held few years ago to select dele
gates to a judicial convention, in which
Gen. Harmon completely routed Col
,Brownlow, who was vigorously oppos
ing him, aud afterwards Sen Harmon
was often heard to say upon the Stun
I that the proudest moment Of his llf
was when be won this sweeping victo
rv in Ool. Brownlow' r presence and il
his own county. Again Col. Boown
lows weakness in Washington connt
was demonstrated in the state conven
tion that nominated Hon, Jesse N
Littleton for governor, When Col
Brownlow, with all his stupendous en-
ergy and consummate ability, was abl
to muster only three votes from hi
home county for Mr.. Littleton, th
other five being cast for Hon. E. I
Sanford, In the last state conventio
both the Brownlow and the Taylor de
egates were accorded seat, but Co
Brownlow got disgusted and left bt
fore the convention had hardly &C
down to business. Bat further as
clinching argument, so the Evans me
say, upon the Washington Situation,
the fact that Hon. Rufus NJ. May VII
was nominated by an Alf Taylor col
vention, and Hon. Cyrus A Roystol
both members OF the Legislature, r.
: fieeted the republican sentiment
Washington county by casting tht
votes for Hon. Nathan Wesley Ha
for United States Senator. With th
= statement of facts it is easy to predi
y what the state committee will do in Il
} Washington county contest. 1t lool
d like the Alf Taylor committee will
s declared regular and entitled to CO.
l. troll, while the other fellows will ha'
to HE away to the blackberry patC