The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1914-10-15
WILL WIN STATE IN
NOVEMBER ELECTION
WENT OVER SITUATION /"
Believes That Democrats Have
Better Chance This Year Than
Ever to Garry the State.

Ex-Governor John I. Cox, who re-
turned Sunday from speaking tour
in behalf of General Thomas c. Rye,
democratic candidate for governor,
predicts that the democrats will
sweep the state next month. He says:
81 was at democratic headquarters
for two days and went over the entire
situation in Middle and West Tennes-
see and l am absolutely sure that
General Rye and Hon. George Welch
will both be elected by handsome ma
jorities. The democrats are getting
together and forgetting the differences
of the past West Tennessee is back
in line and will give an old time demo-
cratic majority. Middle Tennessee
is fast falling in line and with no
trouble in the Fifth and Seventh con-
gressional districts this year the tick
ct will have largely increased majori-
ties there.
"You will remember that two and
| four years since / declined to be in
terViewed on the political situation.
My reason was | did not believe that
we could win and / did not want to
predict a victory we could not win.
This year / am absolutely sure of VIC
tory. Furthermore, we will have
safe ard reliable majority in both
branches of the legislature.
Il spoke Saturday night at Monte
rey to a fine and appreciative audi
ence. This is the home of the Hon.
George N. Welch, candidate for rail-
road commissioner, and his friends
they arc enthusiastic for General Rye
and the ticket and are working very
hard. My audience naturally wanted
to know of political conditions in East
Tennessee and told them there would
be lineup in East Tennessee-that
the republicans would vote for Gov.
Hooper and the democrats would vote
for Geaeral Rye. / told them that in
the past two campaigns we have had
what are called wet" republicans
that have voted the democratic ticket;
that recently / had seen many of the
leaders of this element and asked them
how they would vote this fall and all
said they would vote for Hooper. /
asked the reason and got the same
answer from all: General Rye is as
dry as Governor Hooper, and there is
no longer reason for our crossing
party lines and voting the democratic
ticket
II told them of the conference re-
Gently held by Governor Hooper at
Knoxville with the working republi-
cans Of East Tennessee. That in a
secret conference Governor Hooper is
reported to have said: 1T is no longer
a question of whether you like or dis
like me. have had all out of the
governors Office there can be to me-
1t is now a question of the permanent
success of our party and if you will
get behind me in this campaign / will
put Tennessee in the republican col
umn."
This l do know, that it was the
greatest conference the republicans
ever held in this end of the state and
that thes went home and to man are
' orking and organizing as they have
not done before in my time. If they
elect Hooper 1rd a legislature in SYM
Dathy hith him they will rcdistr-ct
he state and make the third and
fourth and eighth congressional dis
ricts republican, redistrict the state
N legislative districts so the demo-
Gratis will not control the legislature
again in twenty years, send Governor
Hooper to the senate and give Ten
lessees electoral vote TO a standpat
.epubIican and against our matchless
Woodrow Wilson Bristol
Herald Courier.