Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-03-22
President Feels He Must Tour
State in Effort to Unite Party
Which He Heads Previous to
the National Election in 1916.
Assassination, Armed Conventions
and Bitter Clashes Mark Dec
ade That Put Republicans in
Senate and Governors Chair.

NASHVILLE, March 21.-Presi-
dent Woodrow Wilson. titular leader
OF the Democracy of the nation, has
undertaken to end the ten-year war
fare which has ragged in the Demo-
cratic party in Tennessee-warfare
which split the party in twain, elect
ed a Republican twice to be Gov
ernor: filled the most important
Statehouse offices with Republicans
and for time placed a Republican in
the United States Senate as one of
Tennessee's representatives
Prospects now are that the Presi-
dent, Secretary of State Bryan, other
Cabinet members and Democrats
spellbinders of national prominence
will invade Tennessee in the late sum
rner and fall stump the State to re-
deem ii from Republican rule, and try
to enable the Democratic party two
years hence to present solid Demo-
cratic South in the 1916 Presiden-
tial campaign.
The President has called upon the
rival factions of Tennessee Democ-
racy to reunite on candidates and
principles that will defeat the pres-
ent Republican Governor. Ben w.
Hooper, who will be his party's nom
inee for a third term. And two days
after this appeal was promulgated
the executive committee Of the INDIE
pendent Democratic faction met in
Nashville, in6orsed Hooper's admin
istrations-virtually pledging that
faction to again support him-and
called a State convention to make
nominations and adopt a platform.
A Slap at Wilson.
This action by the Independents is
taken by Tennessee Democratic lead
ers here and at Washington as a slap
at the President and a challenge to
the Administration to take a hand in
Tennessee affairs. Consequently Il
is believed the Administration now
win be even more determined to end
the Independent Democratic Republic
can coalition by defeat at the polls and
restore the Democracy to control in
that state.
Tennessee Is normally Democratic
by 10000 to $4,000 majority, but the
peculiar conditions that have exist
ed for the past decade have changed
that standing to a coalition or fusion
majority of 10000 to 10000 in the
last two elections. That the State is
essentially Democratic is evidenced
by the fact that even during the
years OF party strife the Republicans
have not sought to use their advan
take toward gaining additional repre-
sentation in Congress, except where
Governor Hooper appointed Newell
Sanders, the Taft Republican national
committeeman to the Senate upon
the death Of the late Senator Bob
Taylor The Congressional represen-
tation stands now as it has practi-
cally stood for 90 to 80 years-eigh;
Democratic and two Republican Rep
resentatives and two Democratic
Senators.
Senator Lea the EvanseI.
The Tennessee situation was
brought to the Presidents attention
through the efforts Of Senator's Luke
Lea and John X Shields and Con-
gresham Cordell Hull, the new Ten
nessee Democratic national commit
teeman. with the Endorsement of the
other Tennessee Democratic Con-
gressmen. These State party leaders
contend that the issues that caused
the split in the party have been set
tied by the enactment of laws prohib-
iting the sale or manufacture Of in
toxicatlng liquors for intrastate traf-
fic and by reforms in the state cleo
ton laws.
The inception OF the party war IN
Tennessee goes back 70 1904, when
the late Senator William B. Bate. a
Confederate general and former Gov
ernor of Tennessee sought re-elec-
ton Cor a third term in the United
States Senate and was OPPOSED by