Dresden enterprise and Sharon tribune. (Dresden, Tenn.) 1907-1997, 1916-07-07
Hon. J. D. Senter, in Speech De-
livered at Newbern on July 18th, in
Support of His Candidacy for the
Democratic Nomination for Con-
gress, Said in Part as Follows:

: IN becoming a candidate Tor the
Democratic nomination for Congress
from the Ninth Congressional Dis
trict Of Tennessee, | am not unmind-
full, rather am l deeply conscious, of
the great distinction and high honor
that l am asking at your hands. l
fully appreciate that under our forms
of representative government, where
in the people of the nation express
their views on governmental ques-
tons, and governmental policies
through representatives, elected by
them, and to whom it is delegated to
reflect their will upon these questions
end these policies in the national Con-
gress, that no greater distinction, no
higher honor, nor one fraught with
graver responsibilities could be con-
ferred upon citizen of the district.
When we consider that representation
in the Congress of the United States
is apportioned among the several
states of the Union, according to pop
ulation, and that under this plan of
appointment, our state is entitled to
but ten members, which means that
in this Congressional District, COM
posed of eight large counties, with
an aggregate population of approx
mately two hundred thousand people,
and that only one man Of all this
vast population can enjoy this dis
tinguished honor at one time, we can,
in a measure at least, comprehend
something Of the Importance and hon
or and dignity conferred upon our
representative in the Congress.
In this great Democratic Republic
of ours, with it's free institutions,
where every man is a sovereign, where
every citizen is entitled to equal
rights and equal privileges, where the
class or cast system does not obtain,
as in monarchial governments, where
every boy may encourage his am
bilious dreams, confident in the as
surance that if he will but prepare
and equip himself for the higher re-
sponsibilities of citizenship, he may
at sometime become the recipient of
honors at the hands of his people.
1t is no doubt due to this condition in
our national life, to the principle of
democracy, whereby individual am
bition is encouraged, and wherein all |
the people have a voice in our gov |
affairs, that ours has be-
come the greatest civilization of all |
the nations of the world. And it is |
also no doubt due to the condition
and principle in our national life that |
long tenure in office has never been |
favored by the American people, and |
that the people have come to believe |
that when we have bestowed this dis
honor upon one citizen for
six consecutive terms-fOr a period
Of twelve years-and have paid to
him the enormous sum of NINETY
THOUSAND DOLLARS in salary
alone, that we have so hOnOred that
citizen that his cup of ambition should
have been filled to overlooking.
And, however efficient he may be,
ne should not arrogate unto himself
Ill the efficiency, nor should he flat
er himself that HE is the only man
n the eight counties, composing this
District, who is so
endowed as to be alone capa-
lie Of representing this splendid con-
My attention has recently been
,alled to an article published in the
several papers Of this Congressional
as an advertisement, en-
titled, "The Making of Congress-
man," and "Why FINS ]. Garrett
Should be Returned to the Congress-
Those who remember his campaign
speech delivered twelve years ago,
when he was then candidate for the
5onOrpss for the first time, will agree