The Newport plain talk. (Newport, Tenn.) 1909-1939, 1912-06-13
ON EVE OF TWO
CONVENTIONS
Eyes of the Political World
Are Now Trained on
Chicago.
BALTIMORE COMES NEXT
These National Affairs, Though,
Are Tame in Comparison to the
State Issues. - Two Distinct
Fights for Places on the Ma
tional Committee. Several are
Now in the Race for Governor

Just at present the eyes Of the nation
are trained toward Chicago and week
after next it will be toward Baltimore,
bat these little national affairs cannot
entirely bedim the politics of Tennes-
see, where there is something in the
air at all times.
At present Tennessee has two dis
tinct fights for national committee
man, one among the Republicans and
among the Democrats. In the Repub-
lican ranks il is a fight between Sena-
tor Sanders and United States Marshal
John w. Overall, who for years has
been one of Sanders right hand men;
and on the other hand Mr.. Munday,
the present committeeman, would like
to be reelected, but in view of the
fight between Messrs. Overall and
Sanders, is not making much noise.
Mr.. Overall claims majority of the
Tennessee delegation, basing his claim
en- the fact that he has earned the
position while Mr.. Sanders should be
content with the position of United
States Senator. The Sanders people
claim that Mr.. Overall secured his
promised votes with the understanding
that Mr.. Sanders did not want the
place and that majority of those
pledged to Mr.. Overall will come over
to Mr.. Sanders at the proper Time.
In the Democratic ranks Hon. r.
+. l.. Mountcastle, the present nation
al committeeman, is being opposed by
Nat Baxter, Jr., and Mr.. BaXter's
friends are claiming the place for him
on the ground that total of 49, votes
met at Nashville recently and endorsed
Mr.. BaXter's candidacy. The Mount
castle people claim that these promises
from the democrats were secured under
false pretenses, and that those holding
the proxies had no right to appropriate
those proxies on a question of election
of national committeeman, as this
was not thought to be the object of the
call.
While these fights for the national
committee are interesting, Tennessee
people are awake to fights of more
interest. 1t is only six weeks now
until the first of the two Democratic
primaries will be held. In this pri
mary Democratic candidate for gov
ernor and candidate for railroad
commissioner will be nominated
Former United States Senator Frazier
is an active candidate. Walter Faulk
ner, John r. Neal, Thos. Tyne, Crab
tree and few others are active candi
dates. Former Governor 'McMillor
has entered into the race, but on tht
whole the crop so far is disappointing
, one, and the Democratic headquarters
, admit that they have not received The
entrance fees as yet of single one.
There is renewed interest in tue sen
atorial race, as it is generally under
stood that Gen. Chas. Il. Gates is con
sidering getting into the game, ant
that the next United States Senator
will most likely have TO beat him fol
the, position. Patterson and Floyd
Estill are the two announced candi
dates, SO far. Gen. Gates is out with
! tho foIIowipp Statemant.
When asked whether or not he would
become candidate Tor United States
Senator and told that some had said
he would and others that he would
not, Gen. Gates said:
"No man has been authorized to say
that l am a candidate. If should
become candidate not only my
friends but the people of Tennessee
will be advised. And while 1 am not
candidate at this time, certainly no
one has been authorized to say that ]
will not be a candidate.
81 confess to deep sense of appre-
citation for the many expressions OF
good will and the desire for me to be.
come a candidate, and these requests
have come from all sections of the
state, and from Democrats regardless
of previous alignment.
81 am giving the matter that serious
consideration which the subject de-
mands, and when reach conclusion
you may be sure. as have before
stated, my friends and the people OF
| Tennessee will be promptly advised