The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-08-29
WILLIAMS SAVING
WOOD WITH EYE ON
POLITICAL SKIES
Monteverde's Friends Seem to
Think He May Be in Race
for Re- EleCtion-CitizenS
League at Work.


j. J. Willlaps, candidate for mayor,
believes In making haste slowly, Most
OF his time is occupied Ia saving po-
litical wood, while keeping n close eye
on the political skies, which thus far In
dieate a most uncertain situation in To-
cal politics.
Although the Iirst candidate to au-
neunce, MIR. Williams stin has one va
cancy on the ticket which he has se-
iected, no candidate for commissioner
having. been selected to take the place
OF II. I. Bruce, who declined to run af-
ter Il had been announced that he would
he on the Williams ticket.
Mr.. Williams Is managing his own
campaign fIem his o!sice In the court
house, He Says he has an organization
In every ward. and that there Is no need
OF opening headquarters or naming "A
campaign eommittee for nj least a
mother month.
Under the surface, there seems to, be
a decided lack Of harmony in the ranks
OF the factions which were supposed to
M~onteverde announced his support OF
Mr.. Williams soon after the latter's an
nouncemnnt, Yet the mayors henchmen
are abroad sounding his praises as the
strongest man who could make the race
for mayor against the admittedly strong
ticket put out by the Citizens league. y
Those close to Mr., Monteverde seem
10 believe that the delay In completing
the Williams ticket IL really due TO ef-
forts to get him 20 withdraw, with the
pronaAse OF something equally remunera-
tive some tfmejn the future, leaving the
Held ope for the mayo to make the
race for reelection.
MIR. Williams himself announced that
he would not run as the candidate of
faction. and has said more re-
fqnnftR Thai he nrngAgR0 Ia utaN I'm thu
race,
But politics is a game of trades, and
there IL plenty of time for several po-
litieal changes TO be made, O, l. Kru-
ger. running mate with Mr., Williams IN
several former campaigns. is as conf
dent as MIR. Williams In his ability 90
secure sufficient support to bring him
in a winner, The other two candidates.
Col, w, l.. Terry and ~ ". Sheely, are
unknown political Quantities, so far as
past performances 20.
Candidates on the Citizens league
ticket, j., II. Paine for mayor, John B.
Edgar, Thomas III. Allen. Horace John
son and G, II. shannon, are equally CON
fideht that with the organization they
are building up. backed by the undoubi-
eddy strone public sentiment for a non
partisan city government, free from fac.
tional politics, they will carry the com
Ing election on Nov, 8, The emblem
they have selected for use In their adj
NtfAiniHH Is bnt uoNe VI pthtN, WfNNn mas
certainly been "A stranger at the city hall
for the past six or eight years.
Besides the Citizens league nominees
and the ticket personally selected TO u
with him by MIR. Williams, there are
thus far three independent candidates In
the field. G. w Miller, member OF the
present city commission, Is q candidate
10 succeed himself. r. q. Scarborough,
city tax assessor for two terms. win
make the race for reNeiectiun, Ben
Mathes, loser In three former campaigns
for q county office. is la the race
against Scarborough,
George A. Macon may get into the
fae for mayor. but that is still an unde-
fided matter so far as he L. concerned.
The situation has a number Of possi-
bilities. for there liz no doubt that the
four or five old political factions are
thus far sparring for al opening, with
no guarantee that any OF them will ac-
tually support the Williams ticket II a
complete third ticket should be entered
which would have more elements OF po-
iiticai popularity.