The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-05-12
What We May Expect in Virginia

The following. copied from the
Memphis Commercial Appeal. by the
Roanoke Times, is. or ought to be
immensely suggestive TO the leaders
of the Democratic Party In Virginia
IL indeed they are not so far commit
, ted 10 the liquor interests OF the
state, as to tie beyond the reach OF
sane suggestion.
Prohibition Fi~ht Results.
memphis Commercial Appean
benjamin w, Hooper. republican
governor of Tennessee, through the
grace of Il disorganized- democratic
party, has appointed Newall Sand
ers United States senator to succeed
Robert L. Taylor, deceased.
Newell Sanders Is a republican.
Newell Sanders. "a republican, is
senator from Tennessee in succession
to Isham G. Harris. f. W. Carmaek
and Robert l.. Taylor.
Isham G.. Harris. % great democrat
/ is the one governor of Tennessee who
commanded an army of Tennessee
ans in the field and turned that army
/ o>or to Albert Sidney Johnston, and
| fifty years ago today that army was
! binding up the wounds of it's injured
/ nd burying its head after the bloody
! collision at Shiloh.
| Alack and alas, We have come
/ into a strange and almost incompre-
I hensble state of affairs in Tennessee
! politics.
We have no Quarrel with Governor
Hooper tor his apPointHent--he ala
the logical thing. He Is a republican.
and though he holds his office because
certain former democrats voted Tor
him, he acted clearly within his rights
when he appointed Saunders
lhis paper mas no cause 20 attack
! Newell Sanders. So far as We know
... IS - good citizen. and sts friends and
leigh Ions In Chattanooga, irrespec-
tive of politics. esteem him highly.
/ But, Newell Sanders IL n republican.
ana In the Senate OF The United states
he will vote with tho republicans.
II great democratic measure should
lack one vote. of passing. the demo-
cratic State OF Tennessee could not
1ulA4sh mat Vote. III the 1a,e OF q
, measure depended upon one demo-
cvratic senator's vote, Tennessee could
not give that vote, because of the
Dnnoly folly of tennessee democrats.
t Aud. il another senatorial vacancy
should occur, Governor Ben Hooper
would appoint another republican. IL
ii Vacancy upon the supreme bench
woun4 occur. Governor hooper would
tapputnt II reptbittn. and Governor
Hooper should do So.
Lets not blame hooper for making
this appointment: lets not blame
.>eWell Sanuers for accepting ii, We
are simply reaping what was sown In
lfactionalism. Hooper and his party
are in minority in Tennessee. but
through the auarreiing of democrats
they control the State. And they will
! continue 10 control this State unles:
| the der prratS get together.
| The Virginia Issue Is not party
organ II is not .ne organ OF p0-
litioaI faction. 1t knows neither Dem
ocrat nor Republican. In its eyes "A
Democrat is a good as Republican
If he Is as good and vice versa. 1t
1t has anw preference at all 1t for a
dry" Democrats over wet Repub-
Isxtr;s Elf "a ,ss.rs Srsss hliean e.sef :.
W democrat : = = =. y
In the office OF the Virginia Issue,
! Saloons or No Saloons. is the para
mount issue. anu men are inaisiduai-
II and personally estimated accord
ing to their attitudes toward that
paramount question.
Therefore whatever may be said on
the general subject of party inter-
est, is INSPIRED by the situation as IL
exists in Virginia, and not by party
feeling prejudice.
The Democratic party. or oraan,xa-
ton Is in power In Virginia. Virginia
is normally Il Democratic State, so far
az party lines or combinations are
concerned. The people OF Virginia
are aIiied with that party. In one or
tho other of it's branches, and their
sympathies are normally enlisted In
the success of that organization.
The people of Tennessee are nor
maIly Democratic, Their sympathies
are normally with the Democratic
party. Tennessee IL Democratic
state, In its history. In the sympathies
of its people. and in TIN ordinary de-
veionments nf IT'S rolf cal life.
And yet, Tennessee has Repubfl-
con governor, and through the death
or Senator Taylor, and by the APP
pointment of Republican senator
is represented In the United States
Senate by a Republican senator. II
is anomalous situation. We do not
saw or suggest that II IL fortunate or
unfortunate for Tennessee TO have a
Republican go ernaT. and to be rep
resented by Republican senator. We
offer no opinion on that subject. We
only say 1t is unusual or anomalous.
1 The only question we raise about II
is:. How did II come to pass7 How
does 1t happen to be SO?
I The answer Is simply and vastly
" sir-r'ar--t " ,g' ~h~ rr~~c' ~o-~a
OF the Tennessee people Is stronger
than their political allegiance.
| The Democratic marty In Tennessee
trif'ed with the moral consciousness
or the peonle on the liouor question.
and the moral consciousness Of the
pecule reheiled. That IL whv there
Is a Republican governor In Tennes-
see. and WHY there Is Republican sem
ator from that State in Congress.
/ The Democratic party In Tennessee
tcinporixed on the liduor question in
that state. and sold itself and its In
nuence TO the liquor interests. The
people resented 1t and repudiatinv
their marty. followed their consciences.
The Democratic party. its organixa-
.saa and leaders. n temporising with