The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-22
WILSON RIGHT IN
 TENNESSEE ISSUE Stahlman and Lea Reach Parting of Ways PRESIDENTS EFFORTS When He Came Out for Harmony This Year It Was But Re-Echo
 of Attitude Two
 Years Ago
PRESIDENTS EFFORTS
By PAIL ". rREANnR

By PAUL w. TREANoR Nashville, March cial.)-Presi- dent Wilson's position is coming out for peace in the ranks of Tennessee democ- racy is no new position when his stand of two years ago Is recalled, and for the independent democrats to attempt to show that the President is not informed as to the situation In the state Is to con vict the democratic national leader of dullness. thing with which he has not yet been accused either by friend or 1 foe.
 Two years ago the President was made | a football in the governorship fight, and according to some unwritten history re- was taken of his name by the same in- dependent leaders who are now seeking to | make it appear that President Wilson is ignorant of the deplorable conditions in Tennessee that have not only torn asunder the democratic party, but have had material effect in checking the advance of the state in keeping with the pace of sister southern common wealths.
 In the thick of the fight for governor in 1912, the independent democratic voters were told over and over again that Presi- dent Wilson, therr Governor Wilson, was on the side of the fusionists. This was carried to the extent that one of the chief speakers for the independents said ! both publicly and in private conversa- ton that President Wilson intended, when elected to distribute the federal patron- age fin Tennessee through a. trio com | posed of Maj. E. B. Sthalman, publisher of the Nashville Banner: Senator Luke Lea, publisher of the Nashville Tennes- seean, and another independent whose name was not given. Lea and Stahlman were then fast friends.
 Assumed a Threat
 This statement assumed a threat when the speaker, who stumped the state for GovernoY Hooper against the democratic nominee, told the independents they had better get their heads out of the grass and vote for Hooper" or else they would set no recognition from the triumVirate set up to attend to MT Wilson's affairs in Tennessee when he was to assume, charge of the White House.
 The statement was made so boldly by the Independent speaker, a lawyer now holding a foreign appointment under the department of justice, that democrats over the state commenced to lombard the democratic campaign committee. headed by former Congressman Rice A. Pierce, and affdavits were sent in for Chairman Pierce to publish regarding the statement about the Tennessee federal jobs.
 The thing got to be a delicate ques- ton for the regular democratic state committee. The Roosevelt state commit tee found out about the existance of the affidavits and were endeavoring to use 1t to the advantage of the former re- publican President. They claimed that the regular democrats of Tennessee would TO hn cn1 ta1o of 1fcf, il,,t4i. federal offices in Tennessee and would vote for Roosevelt in retaliation. Chairman Piece, however, kept his head and kept his counsel and about the time that the report had reached it's most vexatious stage the noted McAdoo letter was wired to the state chairman at Nashville, in which the vice chair man of the Wilson national committee emphatically set out that it was the de- sire of MT. Wilson that MT. McMillin should be elected governor of Tennessee, like it was his desire that the democratic nominees in the other states should be successful, and the reason he had not made appointments to speak in Tennessee was because the national committee had already assigned him to other places
 Accepted Statement With Sincerity
 The regular democrats accepted the statement with the same sincerity in
 
 Wilson full support, while many of the independents voted for Hooper for gov ernor, and the affidavits, the publication of which would have greatly injured President Wilson, never saw the light ol day and became unwritten history. But all the while the Roosevelt leadera were twitting the regulars on account Of President Wilson not coming into the state, and claimed up until the time of the November election that the regular demo- crats would prove disloyal to MT. Will son when the time came, but in this they calculated wrongly.
 So when President Wilson came out for peace and harmony among the deom- crats of Tennessee this year it was but to re-echo his statement made two years ago through Secretary McAdoo, and two years ago the President and the national committee had right at hand at the committee's headquarters, the Presi- dents brother Joe Wilson, who went to New York fresh from the city editors desk on the Nashville Banner and knew quite as well as anyone the true condi- tions in Tennessee.
 Two years ago the Independents tried to explain away the stand of the Presi- dent in advocating democratic success in Tennessee, like they are now doing when they say the President is not in formed as to conditions in Tennessee" f"
 But if he is misinformed he is being misled by Senator Lea, wsose name was coupled with that of Major Sthalman two years ago; by Congressmen Padgett and Houston. who were elected as inde- pendent democrats; by Senator Shields who led the revolt against Governor lat terson in 1910, and by the other demo- cratic congressman from Tennessee, who know only too well that the continued success of Governor Hooper means that he will finally use his power to convert Tennessee into a permanent republican stronghold both state and national
 That is why such independent leaders as Chairman Jonas T. Ams of the inde- pendent state executive committee Sena~ tor Lea and others have broken com pany with Major Sthalman and refuse to support Governor Hooper after the saloons of Tennessee have every vne been closed and there is no longer any substantial excuse for fusion, just as the President has cOntended