Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1912-10-24

state will furnish his hackers the blood
money TO manufacture artificial enthu'
siasm and line up the venal vote.
Election Laws.
McMillin's platform is rs remarkable
for what it does not say as for what 1t
does say,
, You will be astonished to learn that it
makes no mention, direct or indirect, OF
the election laws.
Are the election laws no longer an
issue in Tennessee? Are the present
election laws satisfactory to Governor
MeMillinl If they are not satisfactory,
why does his platform fail to say sol
Every man knows that Governor Nc
Millin is bitterly opposed to the present
election laws. This has been his con-
tinuouS public position.
Every man knows that the men who
drafted McMillin's platform and those
who composed his convention. have
fought the present election laws, day
in and day out, from the time OF their
inception in the legislature OF 1909 down
to this good hour. When they had Il
choice in 1909 between the Patterson
election law and the present one, they
chose the former, and fought the latter
to the last ditch. They fought it as ia
as Armageddon, which, the same being
interpreted, means Hopkinsville, KY.
Having failed to prevent the enactment
of the law, they vamOosed the ranch to
prevent the election of commissioners
under the law. Between the Legislature
of 1905 and that of 1911 they spent
all their spare time "cussin' the law.
They "cussei" sclo, Quartette and chorus,
by ear and by note, and in several Ian
guages In the legislature of 1911 they
attempted an amendment, which was a
virtual repeal of the election law, called
the Baxter bill Although a majority
of the lower house had been elected,
pledged to the preser yation OF this law,
the Regulars did not hesitate to prose-
lyts men to break faith with their con-
stituents and vote for the Baxter bill.
The Baxter election bill was passed,
bug it was vetoed by the governor, and
failed to pass over his veto.
Silence of Platform.
Again the swearing of the Regulars
arose with the same vociferOus and AM
mated JUNCTION, and it has never ceased
until this great silence came over the
McAlillin platform. This is altogether
the loudest and most ear-splitting ST.
lence that was ever heard.
When | was in the army | have heard
a bunch Of soldiers playing seven-up in
a neighborlng tent. First there would
be no sound, then in little while loud
and promi5cuous oaths would profane
the circunLbient atmosphere, ana then
in oil un,,l1 aaFtla lnNn into
feet quiet. When the silence came l
knew they were sure enough playing
cards. And now that the Regulars have
settled down as to the election laws,
into "siltnce that broods like gentle
spirit DER still and pulseless world"
you may rest assured that they are play
ing "keards."
After the defeat Of the Baxter bill
in the last legislature the Cox bill was
pressed fol passage, but it didn't get
any further than Bakers new ground"
which in East Tennessee lore is said to
be only short distance up the noun
tain. This bin, like its author, was
smooth, slick, plausible proposition. 1t
provided that each county elect its own
election commissioners. This sounded
well, and made room for lot of elo-
luent talk about the rule of the peo
pie" by follows who cared not rap for
The people.
The weak place in the Cox law was
that it made no provision for the gen
line representation of the minority party |
TO choose the minority members of the |
commission as well as their own. This
would have been all right in counties |
which held honest elections. They /
would have continued, in all probability, |
% hold clean elections. But in those
where crooked elections have !
been eustomarily held the majority party |
would have monopoized the election ma
,hlnery and reign of rottenness and
fraud would have set in.
Effect of Elections.
AT first thought people in the coun-
les holding honest elections might think
themselves Indifferent and unconcerned
Us to how the elections are held i'll other
Not so, however. In all cleo
ions covering more than one county
zach county would Immediately become
italy interested in the elections in
'ther counties. In certain of the large
ounties of the state dishonest elections
would be held, ballot boxes stuffed and
eturns falsifed to u sufficient extent
o overcome an honest majority in dis
riot, circuit and state elections. Then
he man who cast an honest vote in q
traight county and had it fairly counted
would have his vote Cancelled ana an
ulled by the fraudulent vote of some
rocked county. This was what was
he matter with the Cox bill, and that
5 the reason why he was for such a
Ill.
Honest elections are essential to the
of our Tree institutions.
fould not care to live in state where
felt that my vote counted for nothing
nd my citizenship was denied me.
here is no state that has not had trou-
lie in the preservation of honest elec-
ions. Eternal vigilance upon the part
f the people is still the price of liberty.
he people of Tennessee owe a debt of
to the men in the legislature
1909 who gave them an honest cleo
ion law, and to those in the legislature
1911 who stood courageously and
for it's preservation.
The Public Health.
l am strongly in favor of the continued ,
beral support of the State Board of
Lealth and its Pure Food and Drug
apartment in the great work they are
Ding for the preservation of the health
the people.
The next Legislature should enact q