The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1914-11-19

pied by Hon. Cordell Hull, shortly be-
fore noon, and began the plan for the
campaign which might enable them to
avert the disaster which had befallen
the allies arms heretofore.
While very little news seeped out
of the meeting of the board of STRAIT
egy it became generally known Sun
day night that the allies had acquired
a new siege gun in the Nashville Ban
ner and they would have the support
of the Hooper organ in their attempts
to organize the legislature in man
ner hostile to the administration. In
this paper hereafter will be found the
various alibis statements and an
nouncements of the allies. According
to the program, it is to cease its criti-
cism of Hoyt Stewart and its praise
of Hu Anderson and to cloak its de-
signs, it is to feign friendliness to-
ward General Rye, while it supports
Andrew L. Todd, the anti-administra-
tion and the allies candidate for
speaker of the senate, and we'll
known member of the legislature, who
has served several terms as the anti
administration and allies candidate
for speaker of the house.
The slate makers, it is understood,
went even further and selected candb-
dates for state treasurer, state comp
troller and state member of the board
of election, whose candidates. will be
announced after the adjourned meet
ing on Thursday, when once again it
is reported that Senator Shields will
come to Nashville and assist his
friends.
George N. Welch, who early attend
ed the conference in room No. SO at
the Maxwell house, occupied by Cor
dell Hull, accompanied X. D. Nickel
lar to Memphis, occupying lower berth
No. IA of the Memphis sleeper on the
11:3$ o'clock train, to furnish rein
forcements if necessary to prevent any
of the Shelby delegation from slipping
from the grasp of the distinguished
congressman from the tenth district.
While the consensus of opinion
seemed to be that the primary object
of this secret causcus of the bosses
in room No. SO was to divide the loaves
and fishes and parcel out the state
offices in such manner as to discredit
the administration at the outset, still
it was stated by many that equally
important was the movement to re-
peal or change the present prohibition
laws. General Ryes friends have
made no secret of the fact that no
candidate for speaker of either house
or senate should have aught but their
opposition unless he stood squarely
on the platform and for all party
pledges as construed by General Rye.
1t is stated by those who heep up
with political moves that while the
anti-administration candidates may ex-
press sympathy with and loyalty to
the platform that the backbone of |
their support if not the entire founda-
ton of the movement is due to the |
purpose of modifying the present pro-
hibition laws irrespective of the disas-
Ter it may bring to both the admins
tration and to the party.
1t will be recalled that it was gen.
orally understood that Congressman
K. d. McKellar and Cordell Hull came
from Washington to the May conven-
ion to cement the anti-Rye forces.
It will be remembered in this connec-
ion that combination resulted from
he OPPOSITION to General Rye including
W. H. Hartford. who was campaign
Continued on Page Two)