The Newport plain talk. (Newport, Tenn.) 1909-1939, 1913-03-20
STILL
AFTER CRUMP
Takes a Crack at Memphis
Mayor in Inter
view.
MAKES DEFENSE OF SELF

Insinuations Which Mayor
Crump Has Made Against Him
Are True.
Thursday Governor Hooper gave out
the following interview in which he
refers to Mayor Crump's statement
and discusses pending law en- 'orcement
legislation.
IAN exchange of personalities with
Mayor Crump would add nothing to
the sum total of human knowledge
There is not friend of law and order
in Tennessee today who believes was
every guilty of the folly of agreeing to
abandon the effort to secure additional
law enforcement legislation
ION the other hond, the keeper of
the lowest dive protected by the city
government of Memphis, knows that
such statement Is slanderous false
hood. 1t does not even attain the dig
nifty of skillful and ingenious speci-
men of mendacity. 1t is stained,
crude and awkward falsehood, unsup-
ported by evidence and born Of desire
to please the whiskey element of the
regular democrats, at whose mercy
Mr.. Crump now stands.
ut is just snch mass of eyasions,
equivocations and distortions asmight
be expected from man who spent
eighteen months in charging corrup-
ton against thecomptroller's back tax
system, aud then, A the critical mos
aaps s5iSf mi MS proiessed principles
and sacrificed his legislativede delegation
to throttle an investigation OF the
alleged corruption in return for the
protection of the lawless saloons of
Memphis.
"After pledging myself, on every
stump in Tennessee, TO fight for laws
that would end the disgraceful condi-
lions extant in our cities, would have
been an unmitigated scoundrel to bar
gain off the hope of such legislation to
the whiskey interests of Memphis. MY
treachery would have been on part
with that of Crump in the matter of
the back tax investigation.
at is not my intention, however, to
reflect upon the honor of my friends
who honestly believed it best to com.
promise the question of temperance
legislation with the Shelby delegation
They were underno such platform and
campaign pledges as l was, and they
were made to believe that existing laws
would be repealed ifthe Crump delega.
ton did not assist in preserving them
"This never did believe, and / pre-.
dict now that not one whit of the foul
mile law will be repealed by the pre-
sent legislature. There are honorable
regular democrats from country com.
munities who do not intend to follow
the lead of the city delegations, domi
mated by the damable influences OF
lawlessness and corruption.
$50 far as l am personally concerned
would rather make stand-up
knock-down and dragon: fight of this
postponement than to make any sort
of compromise that would sacrifice
principle and destroy the confidence Of
the people in their leaders.
moreover, asa mere matter of poll.
tics, never would have agreed TO q
deal with Crump on this question thai
involved promise on his part that
the Shelby delegation would vote &c
maintain the existing laws. l always
knew that when it came to a show.
down, the Shelby delegation would
vote to amend or repeal the four mile
law. They are pledged to the Memphis
saloons to do this, and this is more
sacred pledge than any Crnmp could
have made to the friends of the four.
mile law. The true and only master
of the dominant city politicians in this
state is the whiskey power, and when
they hear their masters voice they
prop ali else and come. Whatever
good impulses they may have had in
regard to other matters are thrown to
the winds when they conflict with the
liquor interests. No wonder that Mr..
Crump, the vociferous enemy of the
back tax system, so cheerfnlly, blithely
and boldly crawls in bed with Parks