Crossville chronicle. [volume] (Crossville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1916-03-01
GOV, HOOPER TEARS
MASK FROM PL0TTERS
Shows Up the Scheme of LittIeton, Sells
and Austin to Turn Down Newell
Sanders and Put Party Un-
der Whiskey Power.

NEWPORT, Tenn, Feb. 22.-ReIa
tive to recent developments in republi
can politics IN the state. former Gov
Ben W. Hooper of this place toda,
gave out the following statement:
"Conoitlons IN the republican party
In Tennessee have assumed such shape
that | feel it necessary to make 8
statement OF certain facts of vital in.
terest and Importance to all republican
voters. That my own name is being
used In a way to mislead the masses of
the republican party, emphasizes my
duty to speak out.
HEADING TOWARD DISASTER.
THE republican party of this state
is now heading toward a disaster that
will repudiate It's honorable record. de-
Stroy it's hold on public confidence and
cast 1T back into the position Of help
less inefficiency that 1t occupied twen-
ty-tve years ago.
Here are some Of the questions that
now confront Tennessee republicans:
SHALL EWHISKEY LEAD?
''Do they desire to backtrack their
splendid record on the liquor question
by kicking 1T of the republican organ
lzation the / en- who have led the fight
for ten year, and supplanting them
with men wi have joined hands with
the regular democrats and fought
republican al ainistration at the behest
of the ll4ucr interests?
"Do they desire that the republican
platform shall h expressly or lmnlIed-
ly weakened t. ...ter to the discredited
and dlsruptch ...nxs of law vIolators
and election II cNes in certain cities?
''Do they desire that interests out
side of this state shall dictate the per-
sonnet of the republican state organi-
zations and name our delegates to the
national convention?
"Wlll tennessee republicans submit
to having the party degenerate into a
mere scramble for federal Office, with
every hope of carrying the state IN
November wrecked and abandoned?
ut goes without saying that the re-
)bulican voters of this state will not
end themselves to any such program
Vnen they know and understand the
'acts.
HARMONY WORK.
AS governor of this state for four |
'ears. strove, with the assistance of |
hose around me, to make the republi-
AN party virlle. vigorous. progress
i've party, serving the highest inter
sts of the state. | endeavored to
uake it state party instead OF merely
m East Tennessee party. l ignored |
actiOnalism ana cordially recognized |
very political element in the party.
his was difficult task, and subjected |
actions. but IN the end they all admit
ed the sincerity of my purpose and
he wlsdm of my course.
II mention this last fact not TOR self
raise. but solely for the purpose OF
ssuring my republican friends over
he state that now speak to them in
he interest of the party, and not IN
he behalf of any factIonal part of it.
STATE COMMITTEE FIGHT.
Now to the plain facts IN hand. On
december 81. 1915, the repu bl,can
tate committee met at Nashville.
here was a sharp division over the
election of two men to fill vacancies j
n the committee They grew out of
he personal ncompatibIlity of two
rominent gentlemen, both accounted
lose friends OF mine. took no part
l this contest. Il
"Snon after the committee adjourned
began to leak out that the contest =,
ad become so keen in electing these
emt ers of the committee that a gen.
-al parcel,ng out Of federal offices and
laces in the organization had been re- !
,rted to In order to accomplish the re- 6
,lts. postofices, district attorney
lips, marshalships, and the national t
'mmitteemanship had been bartered
+. l
80 get the votes of the two COM h
itteemen from the First congression- y
district, it was necessary to promise
Congressman Sells the place OF ma S
onal committeeman. S
'It is but just to say that large E
ajority of the state committee knew
,thlng of the details of the deal. The a
side facts were not communicated to v
EN-. In fact. the First district gen. d
emen were not present IN person, but d
ere only represented by proxy. Il
ACTION OF DICK AUSTIN. n
Upon the heels OF this meeting, X
'ngressman Austin issued from Wash j
yton statement of the program that ly
d been benevolently prepared for the
publicans Of the state without any
,ntai strain to them.