The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1914-03-20
AM|S STEPS DOWN
AS CHAIRMAN Of
STATE COMMITTEE
INDEPENDENT LEADER TENDERS
HIS RESIGNATION TO sEcRE.
TARY EZELl.
NOT In SYMPATHY With Views
OF Majority AS Indicated by Action
Taken at he Nashville Meeting on
Monday-Declares 1t to Have Been
Premature.

Jonas T. Amis, chairman of the
state Independent democratic execu.
tive committee, has resigned from his
post. His resignation was mailed to
James B. Ezell, secretary of the CON-
mittee.
In his letter, Col. Amis stated that
the action of the committee Monday
was intended to prematurely COM
NIT the independent democrats of the
state to the candidacy of Ben W.
Hooper for third term as governor,
aiming thereby to forestall any and all
efforts to harmonic existing differ
ences within the party acceptable to
the independent democrats"
In speaking of his resignation, Col
Amis stated that, holding the views
that he did, it was due both himself
and the committee that he should ten
der his resignation. He said that he
was out Of harmony with the move
ment that was made at the meeting
OF the committee to attempt to COM
nit the Independents to the candidacy
of Gov. Hooper before some effort
was made to unite the warning wings
of the party.
In his reply, Secretary Ezell stated
that the resignation of Mr.. Amis would
be presented at the next meeting of
the committee. He denied that any
premature action was taken by the
committee on Monday and said that
the proper construction "of the COM
mittee's action is that it declines to
trife or traffic with the power con-
ferred upon it by the independent
democrats"
The following is Mr.. Amis' letter:
Columbia, Tenn, March II, 1914.
Hon. J. B. Ezell, secretary state
Independent democratic executive
committee, Newstoms' Station, Tenn.
My Dear Sir-Believing that the &C
too Of the independent democratic
executive committee at its meeting
held Monday was intended to prema-
turely commit the independent demo
Gratis of the state to the candidacy Of
Gov. Ben w. Hooper for third term,
aiming thereby to forestall any and
all effort to harmonic existing differ
ences within the democratic party
upon basis acceptable to independ-
emit democrats, and not believing such
a course for the best interests of eth.
er the party or the state, feel 1t
alike due to myself and the commit.
tee that l should not longer remain
at the head, and |, therefore, hereby
respectfully tender the committee
through you, my resignation as chair.
man, Yours very truly,
JONAS T. AMIS"
- Mr.. Ezel's Letter.
Mr.. Ezelr reply was as follows:
T. "Newsom Station, Tenn, March IS
Hon. Jonas T. Amis, Columbia
Tenn. Dear Sir-I am in receipt of
your communication of the 18th inst.
containing your reignation as chair
man of the state independent demo
cratic committee, which will be trans
mitted by me to the committee at its
next meeting.
Il note the construction which you
place upon the action taken Monday
by the committee. The proper con.
struction of the committees actions
is that it declines to tri1e or traffic
with the power conferred upon it by
the independent democrats, but it
simply called conventions of the in.
dependent democrats of the state to
take such action as as they may deem
advisable in regard to the August and
November tickets. The committee en-
dorses no candidates for any office,
but left this matter to the conven-
tons, which will be perfectly free to
act.
"Of the nineteen committeeman
present, eighteen voted to call a con-
vention to nominate candidates for
governor and railroad commissioner
and all nineteen voted to call con-
vention to name a candidate for su.
, ureme Judge.
LAS to the prematurity of the call
it will be remembered that the regular
democratic committee meets in few
days to call a convention.
Very respectfully,
JAMES B. EZELL, Secretary"