The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1908-09-11
MACHINE 1NsoLENCE REBUKED.

the resentment of the people were strik-
ingly illustrated by the result OF the
contest between Askew and Netfln the
Twenty-tifth Senatorial District, includ-
ing the counties of Madison, Henderson
and Chester, says the Nashville Tennes-
sean. Mr.. Askew made his race as an
advocate of State wide law forthe abb
clifton of the liquor traffic. Mr.. Nett
took his instructions from the delegates
appointed by Ban Murray.
The supporters oINef made the issue
boldly and brazenly that any man IN
Madison, Henderson and Chester coun-
ties who dared to cast vote in that con- |
test contrary to the declared will OF Ban
Murray of Chattanooga, was Republi-
can. On the morning of the election the
managers of Mr.. Nef printed thefollow-
ing advertiser ent in black lettersin the
Jackson Daily Wing:
Gail true Democrats will vote for Sam
Neff for the State Senate any Democrat
voting for Askew votes a Republican
ticket"
Mr.. Askew, believing in the total alb
olition ofthe whisky traffic, offered him
self as candidate. In doing so he gave
the Democrats ofihis Senatorial District
the opportunity to give effective express
sion of Interviews ON this greatquestion
In other words, TO exercisethe "sacred
right of local self-government."
The machine leaders assailed Mr.. AS
kew scandidacy sSreasonto Democracy
making the issue that to assert the
right of local self-gcyernment was to be-
tray the Democratic party.
They laid down the doctrine that the
man whodared to have an opinion OF his
own and to vote for candidate in ac-
cordance with his, views was Republi-
can and ought toge toutof the Democratic
party. They said that the "true Demo-
crat" is the man who has basely surren-
dered his freedom of thought and opin-
ion, and who meekly takes his orders
from the attorney ola Chattanooga beer
mill.
That was the plain meaning Of the is-
sue which was made against Mr.. Askew.
The self-respecting Democrats of that
district gave crushing answer to this
} manifestation of machine insolence.
Mr.. Askew was elected by over 200
majority. Aisopponent, openly backed
as the administration candidate" was
utterly buried beneath an avalanche of
ballots. He did not carry single dis
trict in Henderson or Chester counties,
only five out of nineteen in his owncoun
ty of Madison and not a single ward in
the city of Jackson.
The people of that Senatorial District
had not been deceived by the shallow
sophistry nor intimidated by the blus-
tering insolence of the machine.
They knew that Governor Patterson
and his organs had appealed for the
votes of prohibitionists on the plea that
theycould put their views into the DEM
ocratc platform and that Governor Pat
terson had promised to accept and up
hold it.
They knew that after he had secured
his nomination by this promise the State
machine basely betrayed theconfdence
, of the Democratic voters and denied the
Democrats OF Tennessee even shadow
of power in the making Of Democratic
platform; and they knew that this had
been done at the diotation of the distil'
leries, the breweries and the saloons.
: There was not asingle ,delegatein that
convention elected or instructed by the
people. The machine, at the dictatior
of the saloon, deliberately robbed The
! people of all right to participate therein
!. The whisky plank in the platform wal
(, adopted by the votes of delegates choseI
forth people ofeleEen counties by Ban
Murray alonel}
The political rights and powers of tn
Q people were corrupuy and perfdiousl
: taken out of. their hands and lodged il
I. the hands OLA nonresident grog sho
T politician whom they never sawl
: And the, self-respecting, free-bor
Democrats of Madison, Henderson an
Chester counties were told that if the
C didn't submit to this without protes
d they were Republicans
Il This insult to their manhood and the
! Democracy theyanswered as it deserved
II WANTED AGENTS