The Newport plain talk. (Newport, Tenn.) 1909-1939, 1911-09-28
Independents Put the Matter
Up to the People of
the State.
ADDRESS 10 DEMOCRATS
Set Forth the Harmony PROPOSE
tiyn Declined by Chairman
Vertrees and Make Plans AS
Though They Are the Regular
Democracy of the State.

DSiliONAuNy Va tIN StatNs
Nashville, Tenn, Sept. -23. The
state committee of the ''independent
democratic" faction of Tennessee today
issued an address to the democrats of
Tennessee setting forth the harmony
proposition recently made to Chair
man Vertrees. The plan for consid-
Grafton was as follows:
"That each. committee select one man
from each Congressional District, max
ing committee of twenty, each faction
thus having equal representation, and
that this new committee, representing
reunited party, call direct primary,
with equal representation at the polls,
and under such rules and regulations
as will assure fair expressions of the
will of the majority of the Democratic
party of the state, to be held early next
year for the purpose Of enabling the
white Democrats of the state to. ex-
press their presidential preference to
elect their delegates to the national
convention, and to nominate candi-
dates for United States Senator,
electors, for all state officers to he
elected by the people, and for the elec-
tion of new Executive Committee" !"
To that Maj. Vertrees replied, de-
cIining to consider the plan, the reason
assigned being that, in his opinion,
the committees and others assuming
to have official representation should
not meddle at this time with the pro-
gress whicn is being made toward har-
monious action. With all due defer
ence TO Maj. Vertrees, 1t seems to be
the consensus of opinion among those
who have even limited knowledge OF
political conditions in Tennessee that,
with two Democratic committees in
the field, with two stale organizations
representing marked diversity of opin-
ion on state issues, unless some action
is taken to bring al oat harmony and
concert o. acticn between these two
organizations, the changes of Demo-
cratic success, locally, will be seriously
imreriled. There was olitical revo
luton in Tennessee during the veal
1910, and upto this time it has not
gone backward.
On account of the brilliant prospects
of national Democratic victory, there
is a general desire among Democrats o.
all factions i'm Tennessee to see bettel
party conditions brought about in tn,
state.
"Lest we forget" let us briefly re
view the events which led up to III,
present situation:
The State Democratic Executiv,
Committee of which the Hon. n. G
Robertson was Chairman, refused t.
respond TO general demand in tn,
Democratic party for the right of self
government within the party organi
cation, in the nomination OF candidate
and in formulating policies. Ther,
was revolt against the exercise o
arbitrary power by that committ
and an appeal TO the people, which
brought to the auditorium in this cit,
on the 18th day of May, 1910, II,
largest Democratic convention tha
ever assembled in the history of th
sta.e Maj. Vertrees and some Q
those associated with the faction whicl
h. now rerr ,sents, participated in tina
convention and aided in passing tn
folio wing resolutions:
"Resolved, That we do hereby repu
diate the so-called State Democrats
Executive Committee as unDemocrati
arbitrary, iyrannical and guilty 9