Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1917-07-12
Public Sentiment Strong
For COnV( n.i0n

President J. L. McWhorter Of the
Constitutional Convention League is q
busy man these days. Correspondence
coming in from over the state makes
him an optimist as to the result of the
election on July 20. In an interview
he said:
Many of the strongest democrats
and republicans Of East Tennessee fol-
the first time in a generation are unit
ed in active support of a highly imEor
tant public movement which relates
to state government. They are for a
Constitutional Convention, and the fact
that 1t is upon a non-partisan, non fac
tional, absolutely fair basis, free from
party intrigue, Is bringing public men
and adherents of all parties together
in active advocacy Of it.
only last Saturday the democratic
executive committee of Hamilton Coun-
ty at a largely attended meeting,
pledged its support to the convention
in a formal resolution and agreed to
cooperate with the campaign commit
tee consisting of one thousand mem
bers, Of citizens of all parties, which
had already been appointed. They
realized that the present is the time
for action and that the suggestion
heard in some quarters that the war
made it inopportune lacks force and
should not be needed in the presence
of the urgent needs of the state.
$50 spoke the representative of the
organized democracy of Hamilton.
Hon A Fowler of Knoxville, one
of the foremost republicans IN the
state, who was once the candidate o6
-hfs party for Governor, isequally en-
phatic He gives clear reasons why
the present is the very time of all for
convention to be held. He says:
"'What is the matter with the pres.
ent time? Never since the Civil War
have political prejudices been so little
manifested. This was shown even be-
fore we entered upon rne war by the
fair apportionment in representation
in the convention provided for in the
act submitting the question to the peG
pie, and never has the public mind
been more sober and conservative,
"Our Constitution Is a great instru.
ment. Nearly all of its basic princi.
pies were contained in the COpstitu-
ton of 1896, and the inhabitants of the
state haze been living under those
-, ct nj rlu and n
quarter A few amendments are now
imperatively demanded, but no con
vention should assemble imbued with
the idea that the Constitution should
be torn to pieces, and public sentiment
is now especially favorable for a con.
sentative convention.
"'Again, during and after the war,
there will be a REIMBURSEMENT Of indus
trial development, and there will arise
struggle among the nations for in
dustrial and commercial supremacy,
and in that development in this coun-
try there will naturally be a rivalry
among the states.
"'Shall we start In that contest ham
dicapped with existing constitutional
restrictions? Would It lot be wise
that we make preparations for that pc
Rod. which, economically, must stand
out as one of the most important Of
the century.
"'The objection suggested is, that
the minds of the people are too deeply
absorbed with the war, and the condi-
tons arising from 1t. to give proper /
consideration to the questions which |
will arise In the convention, and be.
fore the people, when the amendments !
shall be submitted to the vote of the
people. But business is certainly not /
suffering for the lack Of attention upon
the part OF business men. The peo-
pie have been aroused to the neces.
sity of producing and conserving food,
and to other matters which pertain to
the war, and they can certainly be
made to understand that the amend {
ing OF the Constitution is matter OF
like public interest. In my judgment,
there has not heretofore been time
so favorable for fair consideration OF
all questions which will be presented
to the people, nor is there likely to be
for some years in the future, time
when the conditions will be SO favor
nbla'1