The Newport plain talk. (Newport, Tenn.) 1909-1939, 1912-05-02
JOHN HOUK
GIVES WARNING
Two Men VIII Be Responsible
For Robbery If Roosevelt Del
egation Is Unseated.

Nashville, Tenn, April 5e-John
Z. HouK, Senator from Knox County
says that if Roosevelt is robbed May
IA, two men, and only two men, at the
State convention in this State will be
responsible for it. "The people know
them,' says the Roosevelt leader, "and
1t is unnecessary TO name them"
For the first time in several weeks
Senator Houk yesterday unlimberets
his guns on the cf7icehoIders and the
enemies OF Mr.. Roosevelt with telling
effect. Senator Houk lays down four
propositions that he calls "plain," re-
lative to the Republican situation, one
OF which is that two men i'm Tenn
essee control the Republican State
Committee, and that it rests with
those two as to whether or not Roose-
welt will get square deal in this State
The Senator would not state the.
names of the two men he referred. To-
but from his conversation it appeared
that'he referred to Gov. Hooper and
Senator Sanders.
Senator Houk said:
81 want to keep out of the papers
1 have little to say for the press, andE
would not prefer to say that.
"There are tour plain propositions
well known to Tennessee, and no
amount of fuss or brush can conceal
them.
81. Tennessee Republicans are over
whelmingly for Roosevelt.
"2. The federal and State Office
holders are in conspiracy, and have
been for weeks, not only to steal the
district delegates, but also the dele
gates at-large, for Roosevelt.
SO. So far as the four delegates-at-
large are concerned, the State Com.
mittee has it within its power in deal
ing with the many contesting delega-
tions coming to the State convention
to protect the people against being
robbed of their rights.
81. There are two men in Tennessee
known TO everybody, who absolutely
control the State Committee which
will make up the temporary roll Of
the State Convention on May IA. The
peoples eyes are on these two men.
There is no escape from the fact that
these two men do control the State
Committee. Whether the State is to
be stolen from Roosevelt is up to these
two men who lave long dominated
the State Committee and been operated
as allies or Presidential and other
questions for months. 1t is unnecess-
AIRY 10 name them. If the State Com
milee commits the politician outrage
Of unseating enough Roosevelt delega-
tons from the counties 10 give Taft q
majority of the State Convention, the
two men referred to will be response
BILE Tor it, and the people should put
the penalty on them. These same
men not only control the present COM
mittee, but are working hand in hand
to own the new State Committee.
Tennessee Republicans have before
watched the doings of political os-
triches in both Gains and storms.
"If Roosevelt is robbed the people
will know who the real robbers are.
and say the wrath Of the people will
be visited upon the robbers.
"These are plain words, but why be
a soft hypocrite about so serious pub
lie matter?
"Roosevelt is entitled to the four DEL
egates from the State-at-large, and
why sit supinely by and permit them
to be stolen from him?
THE double country delegations and
packed county conventions make the
snti-Roosevelt program clear.
"There are two men in Tennessee
who can get justice for Roosevelt be-
fore the State Committee. The people