The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1914-07-30
LEADING REPUBLICAN
GIVES OUT INTERVIEW
REPUBLICANS NOT BOUND
Shou1d Be Left Free and Untran1-
melled to Support Choice
Between Democrats.

Major Paul E. Divine, one of the
leading republican lawyers in East
Tennessee, and one of the best known
men ia the state, has very pronounced
views On the judicial race between
Judge BulTow and Judge Williams
! and expresses himself in clearcut, un-
Gnistaleable English for Judge Bur-
row. Major Divine was the first
1 treasurer Of the National Soldiers
/ Home in this city and is one Of the
strongest men before a jury in the
state.
In conversation with Comet rep
resentative today he made the follow
ling statement of his views:
Il am a republican of the progress
I've type, haying supported Mr.. Roose-
velt for the presidency. have sup
ported Governor Hooper twice, and /
am for him now. 1t seems that the
| Governor is quite interested in the
candidacy Of Mr.. Williams to succeed
himself on the supreme court bench,
and it Is a matter of regret to me that
! find it impossible to be with him and
| support him in his policy in that par
! ticular. We were in the Spanish
| American war together, and our faith
ers were both Union soldiers. But
my views to the contrary are unalter-
able, and, as | verify believe, bottom
upon facts and conditions as / know
them to be which stand as in the ma
ture of an estopple and challenge my
rights as citizen and man to be
otherwise.
"In the first place, both are demo-
Gratis, or are supposed to be. Neither
claims to be republican. The Office
they aspire to is in it's nature flon-par-
tisan and non-political, and all must
agree that it should be kept SO in the
| highest sense of the term. Certainly
republicans as between two democrats
should not only be left free to make
free and untrammelled choice but they
should have the manhood to make
that choice from the highest motives
and considerations, after careful and
deliberate investigation.
-Four years ago voted for the free
and untrammelled judiciary ticket,
though / knew then and know now
that there was more or less mockery,
in part OF what was then said and
so loudly acclaimed. In fact, while
untrammelled," some parts of 1t l
have not been particularly proud Of,
for | then knew that some of the men
on the regular democratic ticket were
of the very highest character and pos
sessed OF the most eminent fitness and
qualifications for service on our ap-
pellate courts. To be plain, take no
stock in the cry for non-partisan
judiciary which bars republicans from
the appellate courts Of Tennessee,
when we consider that as long ago as
1896 Hon George N. Tillman received
over 100000 votes as republican
candidate for Governor. To have a
nom partisan and non-political judici-
airy, one free and untrammelled in the
true meaning of that term represen-
tatives of both political parties should
as matter of law be required. Such is
the law in many other great common
wealths. 1t ought to be so in Tennes-
see For forty years no republican
has sat upon the highest court of our
state, although ii is admitted that
many of the ablest lawyers belong to
that party. So until the cry for nom
partisan judiciary takes on deeper
meaning than squabble between two
factions in the same party to the ex-
clusion entirely of the republican par
ty which has over forty per cent of
the votrs of the state, shall pass it
by as trick born during these troub-
lous dog days and reserve the right
as citizen carrying my own SOW
ereignty under my own hat to make
my own selection between democrats
upon their fitness and qualification as
see, know and understand it to be.
Il am therefore tinhesitatingly for
Judge Burow. / know him intimately
and we'll. No better, purer, gentler,
or manlier man lives in the state of
Tennessee. No greater injustice was
ever done true, earnest and loyal
soul than the specious cry now going
forth over the state that Judge Burrow
is q corporation man, making the sin
lister suggestion that If elected he will
sell his soul to the corrupt oppressors
Of the plain people of our country and
stand sponsor for predatory wealth.
This charge was born Of ignorance or
cupidity. Nothing could be farther
from the truth. With the exception
Of one client, and that only for seven
years. Judge Burrow has uniformly
been upon the side of the downtrod-
den, poverty stricken, and oppressed
members Of society against railroads
and corporations of all classes The
greatest battles Of his life have been
upon the side of man, and the side Of
flesh and blood as against the dollar
and against the rights Of property.
Not term Of court here in Johnson
Continued on Page Fouf.)