McNairy County independent. (Selmer, McNairy County, Tenn.) 1902-1969, 1916-05-26
DEMOCRATS RIOT
IN CONVENTION
FIGHTS AND TURMOIL MARK NOM.
NATION OF GOV. TOM c. RYE
FOR REELECTION.
CRuMP FACTION is SEATED
Much Interest Displayed In ReeoSns.
ton OF Shelby County Delegation.
Enioe Railroad Commissioner.
Custer Law Upheld.

Nashville The clean sweep Of the
Crump faction, with the cordial dem
onstration from all parts of the con-
vention hall when E. II. Crump him
self appeared on the platform; two fist
fights before the credentials commit
tee and five or six physical encoun-
tiers on the platform during the con-
vention; the futile attack of the David
son county delegation upon the custer
law, and the nomination of B. A. En-
loe as railroad commissioner, we're the
outstanding features of the Democratic
convention, which nominated Gov. T.
c. Rye for reelection as governor.
Besides the governors nomination
the convention also chose nominee
for railroad commissioner. Five en-.
tries were recorded in this race. Fol-
lowing the process of eliminating the
lowest candidate, the fourth ballot re.
suited In the choice of B. A. Enloe
over Thomas ]. Walsh of Humboldt.
The platform adopted by the conven.
ton indorses the administration OF
President Wilson with special refer.
ence to his craftsmanship In handling
the Mexican and European crises, and
indorses special Democratic measures
passed by congress during the past
three years.
1t commits the party to temperance
and law enforcement and opposes the
repeal OF liquor laws or laws enacted
to enforce them, 1t indorses the custer
law, advocates an equal division OF
election officers, and approves the
present primary law, provides for pen.
sioning Confederate soldiers and wild.
ows of Confederate soldiers, favors
abolishing of convict lease system and
favors removal of prisoners from the
mines and working them on the roads.
1t favors law prohibiting the is
suance of free passes by railroads to
any persons except employees. :
The platform calls for the submits.
sion to a vote of the people or an
amendment to the constitution pro-
viding for woman suffrage.
The platform pledges President vii.
son earnest support in sending troops
and keeping troops" in Mexico, and de-
clares in favor of the administration
preparedness program.
Whether in the committee rooms or
on the floor of the convention hall 1t,
SELF the convention was a regular riot,
any number of fist fights and personal
encounters were INDUCED in ana at
one time a chair thrown across the
platform of the convention hall floored
former United States Senator James
B. Frazier.
Sergeants-at-arms and Nashville po-
lice had much trouble in quelling dis
turbances and keeping order. At one
time pistols were drawn, but no shots
were fired.
The fight over seating the Shelby
county delegation was probably the
overshadowing feature of the conven-
ton. The Crump faction was victori-
GUS in four different contests, twice
before the executive committee, before
the credentials committee and then be-
fore the convention itself.
Another interesting part of the pro-
ceedings was the attempt to ask for Q
repeal of the custer law. A minority
report on the. platform called for a re-
peal of both the custer law and the
nuisance act On a motion to table
the Shelby county delegation voted in
the affirmative. Only three counties
voted to sustain the report, Davidson,
Robertson and Knox. Hamilton de-
clined ito vote.