The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1913-11-21

L. Todd prevented them from reaching q
vote. II will be recalled that the same
Mr. Todd was one OF the six Regulars
who finally helped to put the bills over.
During the recess plans were laid by
the Regulars and their new ally Crump.
not only to defeat the law enforcement
bills, but to hand the election machinery
of the state over to the liquor interests
ELECTION BILL.
And here arose another Of the strange
inconsistencies of the Legislature OF 1913.
Men like Pope, Ellsins and Maxwell, who
afterwards voted for the bills to enforce
the four mile law, Joined in the passage
OF an election bill that had but one pur-
pose, to put the liquor interests Of the
state in complete control of the ballot
boxes of the people This bill was passed
by the vote of few traitorous Republic
cans and several regular Democrats elect
ed by Independents and pledged in one
way and another to maintain the existing
election law. No more shameful misrep-
resentation Of the people was ever perpe
> trated than the passage OF this law.
Democrats like Pope Elkins and Walsh
and eX-Republicans like Royston, Boyer
and Love could not have been elected in
hundred years by their counties on
platform proposing to tamper with the
election law of 1909 Not one of them
ever dared to whisper before his election
voted for to help pass.
Under this election law of 1909 the peo-
pie had enjoyed honest elections Frauds
were attempted only In the rarest in
stances. Under this law the liquor inter-
ests had been routed at the polls the Pat
terson machine had been smashed and the
Independent judiciary had been elected.
The passage of the new bill by the ia
grant violation Of the will of the people
was followed by the filibuster of the Re-
pubcans and Independents in an effort to
save the rights of the people at the bal
lot box. The bill was vetoed by Governor
Hooper and when an effort was made 10
pass 1t over his veto, no quorum was
present in the House. The constitution
requires quorum for the transaction OF
business. The Supreme Court will decide
whether or not the bill is constitutional
and valid.
After the filibustsr a few Regulars in
each House kept the Legislature In ses-
sion for many months. their purpose be-
ing to prevent the Governor from calling
an extra session and bringing up the law
enforcement bills again. These bills had
been tabled in the House at the regular
session without even a roll call, another
little evidence of how strongly Cox u
Company favored law enforcement.
The regular session of the Legislature
was never adjourned until enough doubt
full men were pledged in the Regular eau
Gus to insure the defeat of the law en-
When this was fixed the Regulars adj
journed. Thereupon Governor Hooper
called a special session, embracing in his
call large number of measures, general
and local. Among the measures included
were all the law enforcement bills, except
the one authorizing the Governor to re-
move city officials from office. The Gov
ernor even included John l. Coxs bill for
the interchange Of judges, and Cox was
thus forced to lay down on his own BILL
SPECIAL SESSIONS.
In this first special session. by hard
work, the anti-shipment bill and the nui-
sance bill were put through the Senate
with just seventeen votes, the necessary
number. The bills were flibustered to
death in the House and the few Regulars
who were supporting them could not be
induced to take any adequate steps to
force a vote.
Quite a lot of meritorious legislation
was passed at the first special session, but
not law enforcement bills.
The Regulars had evidently calculated
that If they did not let the bills come
to vote at this extra session Governor
Hooper would not have the nerve to call
second extra session. In this they were
grievously disappointed. The Governor
Immediately called another extra session
and limited the Legislature to the consid-
Grafton of three law enforcement bills:
The ant-shipment bill, the nuisance bill
and the bill empowering courts to remove
officials.
The Governor also issued his memora-
BILE proclamation to the people, calling
upon them to meet at the county seats
and express themselves In favor Of the en-
forcement of the laws. This resulted in
the most remarkable series of mass meet
ings ever seen in Tennessee, eliminating
In one Of 10000 people, at Memphis, adj
dressed by the Governor himself
The task of getting any of these bills
through at the second extra session was
delicate and difficult one. 1t was uni