The Lexington progress. (Lexington, Tenn.) 1884-current, 1913-08-22
Senator Shields.
Discussion of Report That
All Applications For
Federal Office Must Re.
nOunce Fusi0nism in
Tennessee.

T. j. Campbell writes interest
ingly from Knoxville in regard
to the report sent out from
Washington that Senator John
X. Shields will Withhold his en-.
dorsement for Federal Office from
all Tennessee applicants unless
they foreswear fusion with Re.
publicans on matters of purely
state concern. Such reports
from the Capitol city are SO un-
reliable that they can hardly be
trusted until signed by the par
ties reported, but if it be true that
Senator Shields has such an atti-
tude, then it is goodbye Senator
Shields unless he can make him
self solid with the forces of
whisky, anarchy and graft and
conduct himself on the belief
that these forces will control
Tennessee In the election of the
next Governor and Legislature
which we do not for a moment
believe will happen with the
vote counted as cast. It's quite
a fall for the high and mighty
John X. Shields, Chief Justice
of the Supreme Court Of Tennes-
see by virtue of the Republican
votes in 1910, and made a Sena-
tor in 1918 by the votes of Inde.
pents, Regulars and Republi-
cans, to so soon take up the role
of traitor to the only political
plan by which his election in
either case could have been pos
sible. Every self-respecting
man in Tennessee, who has in
recent years voted on principle
and not policy, will say to Sena-
tor Shields that he makes a great
mistake by measuring them by
the standard Of himself--if he
has, indeed, made such consu.
mate political ninny of himself,
and worse still, has forfeited the
respect that was given him in
Tennessee. In his special letter
to the Banner Mr.. Camp bell
says:
Under either the spoils or
merit system, Senator Shields
position is untenable. Under
the spoils system the Offices be.
long to those who supported the
appointing power, and under the
merit system to those best fitted
to fill them. In no case do they
belong to officials who have been
chosen by the people to fill other
stations. | have in mind one
friend of Senator Shields, with,
out whose support, think it
fair to say, he could not have
been elected Senator. He was a
very ardent Shields man from the
start. But, alas, he voted for
Hooper in 1910 and 1912. He
was given to understand Che told
me so himself) that he (Shields)
had absolutely refused to commit
himself to the policy now an
nounced-none but Regulars
need apply-and would not dis
cilminate among Democrats,
This gentleman is an applicant
for a Federal office, and has felt
that he had assurances of Sena
tor Shields support. He will
probably not apply to Cox or
Urump for absoluticn.
There is no immediate prospect
that the faction in Tennessee
calling itself the Regular De-
mocracyo means to heed the will
of the people so often expressed
but every indication that it does
not. 1t is important, therefore,
that those who want to end dis
graceful conditions should take
steps to organize for the next
fight ahead of them, at an early
date. Things can be and should
be put in better shape next year
than they were last year. A
4protest Should be fled against
1.-THE interference OF the nationa
administration, but the fight
lshould go on regardless of lti
attitude.