The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1912-10-18
INDEPENDENTS IN ADDRESS
TOPEOpLE DEFINE POSITION
Desires to Preserve Present Liquor and
Election Laws.

An address setting forth their aims
was given out Monday over the sigma
ture of tifty-three Independent Demo
Gratis who represent those who have not
been "harmonized." The election of
members of the Legislature who will
favor the retention of the present pro-
hibition and election laws on tine statute
books will be the dcsideratum.
The movement first took form in u
meeting of some thirty Independents on
July 3, the meeting being presided over
by Prof. G. w. Dyer, who preceded the
address as gwen out with the following:
"a number of Independent Democrats
met in Nashville on july 3 for con-
ference with reference to the political
situation in Tennessee at the present
time. After hearing number OF en-
souraging talks from thos present, it
was decided that committee should be
appointed to issue an address to the
Independent Democrats of Tennessee"
The address in full follows:
"To the Independent Democrats OF
Tennessee: We believe that existing
conditions make the reorganization OF
our forces necessary. With a few ex-
captions, the Regulars, as they term
themselves, have received no recruits
from our ranks.
eve believe the so-ealled harmony
movement has settled nothing and the
disintegration of the State Committee,
through which the Independent Democ-
racy formerly spoke, makes reorgan-
izauion necessary, but pending that or
ganization the individual citizen must
assume the responsibility of speaking for
himself.
1.-The four mile law, as amended by
the Legislature of 1909, and the cleo
ton laws passed by the same session
of the Legislature, should be retained
on the statute books, and we firmly be-
lieve that great majority of the pa
triotic citizens of this State agree with
us in this opinion. Above and beyond
the question of retaining what We have,
is the necessity of bringing about an
enforcement of the laws and q respect
for the powers of the State government.
"Such Legislature can be elected by
thorough organization throughout the en-
tire State Some few have been car
ried away by the specious plea of har-
mony; but there can be no real har-
mony between the independents and the
self-styled Regular faction of the Dem
ocratic party of Tennessee. The lack of
harmony is apparent in the editorial
pages of the so-called regular Demo
cratic press Some of our former asso-
GATES who accepted harmony and who
were in good faith disposed to accept
harmony, have been disappointed. The
editorial pages Of those newspapers that
assume to speak for the Regular Democ-
racy' are teeming with maledictions and
insults for the few Independent Demo
Gratis who took part in the harmony
movement. There is scarcely an INDIE
pendent Democrat who participated in
the harmony plan who has not been
hailed into the ranks either as traitor
or an insincere recruit.
"There can be no harmony in State
matters until the issues upon which We
divided are settled in satisfactory
manner.
No Division Nationally.
"In national affairs there is no de
vision. 1t Is true that certain reaction
aries in this State calling themselves
Democrats are giving no genuine support
to the national ticket; but We can win
without them. They are Democrats in
national matters only for the purpose
Of serving their selfish interests in State
matters. Some Of their leading news.
papers are publishing faint praise of
the Democratic candidate for President
of the United States, and are erowding
their exchange department with abusive
extracts from editorial pages of other
papers insulting TO the leading and most
influential Democrat In national poll
tics. This is clearly done for the pur-
pose OF rejecting upon the candidacy Of
Woodrow Wilson and can have no other
effect
"We congratulate the Democracy, OF
Tennessee and that OF the nation on
the fact that two such splendid Demo
Gratis as Woodrow Wilson and Thomas
z. MARSHALL have been selected as stand
ard-bearers We endorse the platform
on which they stand, and pledge our
cordial support to their election