The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1914-10-29
WARMING FOR DEMOCRATS

er, but to also capture the legislature
for the purpose of gaining complete
control of the election machinery and
to redistrict the state, has been dis
covered. While this scheme has been
suspected for some time Representa-
tive Frank West, of Knox county, let
the secret out in a speech there a
few nights ago when he declared that
Gov. aooper's ambition was to redis-
trict the state before he goes out Of
office and urged this as one reason
why the republican Legislative ticket
should be declared in Knox county.
A prominent local democrat who
has been watching this feature was
interviewed yesterday and gave the re-
suit of what he had learned in a care
full investigation of the republican
plans, which he claims are authentic
and if successful would make Tennes-
see republican for years to come.
IF Gov. Hooper is reelected and
has Legislature to his liking Tonnes
see will be so redistricted that the
Third, Fourth and Eighth congress-
ional districts will be safely republican
and the republicans will be able to
control both branches of the legisla-
ture," said this democrat yesterday,
Il have been in close touch with the
ho Oh fn 60.
with view of definitely finding out
what the republicans are really up to.
Two years ago Gov. Hooper had
bill prepared to redistrict the state
and this would have doubtless passed
but for the fact that Mayor Crump
broke with the republicans A few
days ago Representative West, of
Knox county, made the bold declara-
ton that he was running this time to
redistrict the state and that Gov.
Hooper wanted to see Tennessee re-
districted and safely republican before
he retired from the Office of chief exc
cutive.
Republicans Now Almost Able to
Stand Alone.
Two years ago certain representa-
tives went to Gov. Hooper and asked
him to favor a constitutional conven-
ton. The governor replied that he
would oppose a constitutional conven-
ton until Tennessee could be redis-
tricted and that he hoped to see this
before he retired from
Office. With Tennessee redistricted,
as the republicans propose, the demo-
Gratis would lose three congressman,
and the legislature, and Hooper would
probably be elected to the United
States senate, as he would have the
election machinery with him.
The republicans have harmonized
their differences. They have been
pulling to them such democrats as
they could, but now they are becoming |
more independent and in this county
they refused to fuse with the indie |
pendents on the theory that they were |
strong enough to elect their own tick
ct, and it is up to the democrats to
get busy or the republicans will sue
coed.
The First and Second COMPRESSION
al districts are already safely repub-
lican. The Third district can be made |
republican by detaching Franklin,
Warren and Grundy counties and at
tach Roane, Loundon and Blount
counties. In the Fourth district they
will detach the counties of Sumner,
Wilson and Smith and add Scott,
Campbell and Anderson counties. The
Eighth district is so close now that
by adding Wayne county that district
would be republican and the republi-
cans would have FIVE of the ten con-
gressmen from Tennessee.
"The republicans have large
Doodle fund running into the thous-
ands. The state committee recently
made an assessment of $4,000 against
The guards and employees of the prison
department for campaign purposes.
At democratic headquarters at Nash
vile is paper signed by number
Of state employees in which they agree
10 give 10 per cent of their salary for
he republican fund This paper was
found in the lobby of the Maxwell
house and turned into democratic
headquarters. On this list were the
names of r. S. Henry, secretary to
he governor; S. HI. Thompson, state
of education, and other
state officials.
Slush Fund in Hamilton Secured
From the Outside.
Il am informed that the plan of the
is to flood certain sena-
.orial districts and certain counties
with sufficient funds to carry the cleo
ion. Hamilton county is one of the
spots selected, and l understand some
$1,000 has already been supplied To-
ally. Tom Wilson and Preston Pyle,
democratic candidates for the senate
n the Cumberland section, are two of
he men the republicans will attempt
o defeat An effort is to be made to
rade votes in West Tennessee among
Rye supporters, but / am told state
is into this scheme.
There hasn't been a time in fifteen