The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1914-03-20

as many errors in this statement as
one could possibly imagine. 1t is far,
very far from the facts of history.
The Herald was right; there have
been three hegiras as the result OF a
fight for control of the election ma
chinery.
The first legislative hegira was that
of 1909. In that legislature the
state wide faction and republicans
had a majority in both houses. They
passed over Patterson's veto an cleo
ton law to take out of the hands OF
the governor and vest in the political
element, now known as the fusionists,
the control of the election machinery.
In order to defeat the movement,
twelve regular members of the sen.
ate fed between suns to Kentucky
where they remained for several
days. In the meantime the fusion
| lists (although not then called by that
name) came to the conclusion that
they could get along without the
regulars and proceeded to elect the
state board of elections, defeating
the hegira. Then the regulars re-
turned.
Two years later, in 1911, the regu-
lars elected a majority of the senate
and that body was organized on the
first day of the session by the cleo
ton of the late Nat Baxter speaker.
The fusionists, however, had an
apparent majority in the house of re-
representatives. and for eight or ten
days about forty of the regulars re.
fused to qualify. Later in the ses-
sion by tricks that were dark the
regulars turned minority in the
house into a majority and proceeded
to pass an amendment to the cleo
ton law so that future control OF
the machinery would vest absolutely
In the liquor or regular faction This
bill was vetoed by the governor and
to make the governors veto effec-
tive about thirty-five rus1onists in
the house fed to Alabama and re-
manned there until an agreement
was made between the fusion lead
ers and Mayor Crump whereby it was
agreed that the run Always could re-
turn and the business of the session
| be concluded without any attempt to
act on the vetoed election measure.
! In 1913 the regulars elected a NAL
ority in both houses of the legisla-
ture, but by an agreement between
! Crumps delegation and the fusion
lists, the latter secured control. So
long as this agreement remained In
effect no effort was made to change
the control of the election machin-
cry and during the maintenance Of
the agreement J. R. Penland, republi-
can, and Gov. Hooper's choice, was
elected on the state board. But after
the preaching of the famous Crump
agreement the regulars sought con-
troll of the election board by passing
an amendment to the present law
which produced the third hegira.
These are the facts of history.
1t is not a record that In after
years is going to cause any Tennes-
sean, whether he sympathizes with
the motives that actuated the fusion
lists or believes that the regulars"
were right, to swell up with pardon
able pride. The legislative hegira
was started in Tennessee by the
regulars. Twice they have been
guilty of tying up the business of the
legislature by absenting themselves
from it's halls. Twice the fusionists
have done the same thing. Neither
side can abuse the other for the
hegira But they are unfortunate;
they are demoralizing to the bust
ness of the state: they are costly to
the taxpayers. We hope that we
will not have any more hegiras.
There is one way to prevent them
and that is by the election of high
class, patriotic, honest men to the
Legislature. The people can elect
them If they want to.