The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1914-03-06
Turning on the Light.

If the people generally were as familiar
with Governor Hooper's political meth
DDS as the newspapers are there would
be much less confidence in that gentle
mans professions. The truth is that
the Governor is playing the political
game practically for what may come
not only to his personal ambition but
to his political party. His Re-
publican bureau has been engaged for
some time flooding the local papers
with literature seeking TO popularize the
Governor with the voters. This junk
we have uniformly consigned to the
waste basket. 1t is hard to make some
OF the Independents believe that the
Governor is guilty OF common political
juggling, but the papers can see it with
out glasses. But il all this amounts to
nothing, seems to us that his profess
sions OF anxiety toward the negro voter
is enough to make this matter plain.
Governor Hooper has posed for some
time rs the only honest advocate OF
law enforcement among the men who
aspired to be Governor OF Tennessee
and thousands of voters had come to
look upon him as the only safe man
with whom to trust the cause OF Pro-
hibition, but after fight for years and
the failure OF law enforcement in Nash
vile he censures the only man on the
bench, Judge Neil, who has had the
courage to do his duty in the name OF
the law. This censure charged to Judge
Neil for being oppressive to negro
bootleggers, isn't it time to see the Gov
ernor's motives as they really are. Judge
Neil has been making vigorous fight
to close the saloons in Nashville and to
prohibit the sale OF intoxicants in that
city, and the most surprising thing OF
all is that he encounters the hostility
of Governor Hooper in this work. The
Governor says that Judge Neil has been
unduly rigid with certain negroes vio-
lating the liquor laws, and Judge Neil
replies that Governor Hooper is alto
gether mistaken.
What is the inference2 Suppose, as
Governor, McMillin or Carmack had
done the same thing, what would have
been the inferencef
Now The Commercial occupies a pc
culiar position. We have always defend
ed Governor Hooper and his Democratic
friends against the Democratic machine.
There is no yellow dog business in our
ideas OF party alignment. but when it
comes to holding the Governor up
as q shining example in the face of the
facts we protest in the name of decency
and common sense.
Governor Hooper is Republican.
That is not so bad, but he is an enemy
OF popular government--he is aligned
with Taft republcanism and against
the progressive policies that are awak-
ening the voters in 10th the great polit-
ical parties. Tennessee Democrats have
been following him because he has to
all appearances stood for law enforce
mont. For this reason they have stood
with him Notwithstanding his political
alliances, but will they continue to fol- /
low him after the disclosure of his real i
purposes. II so, they may do so, but
mot for us, to either defend or support |
him. q
We realize that the Governor has some
very warm Democratic friends. Others i
would not be so kind as to call them
Democrats. But our idea OF Democracy /
IS principle, not party. We realize what /
il means to our finances to make some
declarations in the columns OF the pa
per. Some few have already ordered
discontinuance we suspect, because the
Governor has been criticized. But when
.he cause OF common honesty and de- :
mocracy Is threatened we viii be found
making further criticism regardless OF
abe interests OF The cash drawer.
We are in favor Of true democracy
the democracy of justice, aud not the
democracy Of Governor Hooper.