Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1917-07-26
Go To The Polls July 20

Go to the polls on July % and cast q
vote for Constitutional Convention
and for progress Such = vote would
be In accord with the spirit Of patriot.
ism. which 10 naanitsstinG itself in va
rSous directions all evee the land.
Every eouAty In Tenn sssss will have
At least enc delegate In the Constitu-
tlonh Convention. should It b called.
Tails 10 decided advantage over pre-
vt00s propositions. The smaller eoun-
ties viii be On the Same footing with
those OF moderate size. Pickett and
Unieoi would each HAYS . delegate
and so would Wilson and Sumner. The
small counties had very little voice
under the plans heretofore premul.
gated.
Thirty-seven Tennessee counties, or
over one-third In the State, showed an
actual decrease in population during
the decade ending In 1910, according
to census figures OF unquestionable ac-
curacy. The population of nearly all
the agricultural counties was either
about stationary or showed = loss,
and the small gain credited to the
state as a whole came from the cities
mainly. Tennessee has dropped from
second In population In 1870 to fifth.
A new Constitution, which would be
powerful stimulus to all avenues Of
development, would go far toward
stopping this depressing showing as to
population.
twenty.seven delegates in the pro-
posed Constitutional Convention would
come from agricultural communities,
and only thirty-fve from counties con-
tanning cities. The farmers and their
neighbors OF the towns and villages
would, therefore, be In clear numerical
control OF the convention. The plea
which some who are opposing tAe con-
vention have been making that the
cities would put it over the country"
Is, therefore, so absurd as to be un-
worthy a moments serious attention.
Tho country delegates would out-num-
Der those from the cities over two
and a half to one. When one vote
weighs more than nearly three the
silly plea referred to will have some
force.
Would good men" go to a Constitu-
tional Convention, were one called!
The lessons OF the past are the surest
guide for the future. The three Con-
stitutional Conventions which hava
been held already in Tennessee were
the most distinguished bodies ever as
sembled within its borders, that OF
1870, the one nearest to us, being the
ablest OF all. The people ruled in
them all; the ablest. most honored
men in the state, taken as a whole, |
we're members. Each county We'd |
with its neighbors to select its strong
est man to represent 1t. What reason
Is there for fearing that the people Of
he state having gone to the pains and
expense OF securing a convention will |
ose all interest in 1t and permit just
my sort Of fellow to be elected dele
,ate7
When a man knows that he Is really
lick and sees the need Of medicine, he
'ealizes that the best time to take IL 10
IOW-to stop the malady and put
lin on his feet as soon as possible.
lie is not very apt TO turn q patient
ar to the suggestion that the time In
lot "opportune" for medicine taking,
hat he had better wait until he feels
worse. to plan to take tho euro next
ear or some other year. Tennessee
8 sick, ia very sick. of stagnation OF
mercy. lethargy. Of failure to reach
ut and develop her agricultural and
Industrial resources. The federal gov
rnment is telling Us that and warn
ng US with figures that show m Ap-
'ailing drop in prestige among the
tstes OF the South. Tennessee needs
he medicine Of constitutional rsvie-
on: 50 say all. Then why suggest to
he state a policy Of delay that no
ans man would for q moment lisssA
0 a. to HIMSELF