The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-10-14
WILLIAMS WEAK
DEFENSE TAKEN
UP BY TRATTON
Citizens League Committee
PunCtureS Mr.. Williams
Plea That He Could Be Citi-
zen Of Two States.

Leslie NJ. stratton, campaign man.
ager Of the Citizens League, Tuesday
issued a signed statement IN which J
J. Williams weak defense 10 the charge
that he is not eligible TO hold the office
or mayor Ia, shot full OF holes.
Mr.. Williams eleventh hour admls-
sion that he did register and did vote In
Mississippi In the summer OF 1915 has,
many OF his friends admit. lost him
more votes than can be regained by
any possible argument.
The Citizens League committee sim
Ply takes the position that Mr. VII
nams could not possibly have been a
citizen Of two states at one and the
same time, which would seem to be a
self-evtdent proposition.
Either he violated the laws Of Missls-
sippi In voting there when he was a
citlEen of Tennessee, or he is trying TO
violate a law of Tennessee now
The statement follows:
Mr.. Williams has at last broken his
silence and made a public statement.
He says his eligibility TO hold the office
OF mayor Is a legal question which can
be determined at the proper time and
In the proper way He thereby admits
that he is asking the people to elect him
to a law suit. He assures the people
that he is eligible and will hold the Of
lice II elected, He promised the peo-
Pile IN the last county election that he
would hold the office of criminal court
clerk, but he now proposes to run for
another office without giving up the
office 70 which he was elected. When
will he resign the office Of criminal
court clerk?
Two Residences Impossible.
"Mr; Williams says: I have lived in
Memphis more than so years, and Mem
phis has always been my home He
q y il never entered his mind that
we were oeasing to pA Tennesseans'
when he moved 70 Mississippi In 1912,
and lived there for several years and
registered and voted there in 1915.
Thereby he admits that he registered
ana voted in Mississippi when he
claimed to be a Tennessean.
In the same statement he says: 4
wal told BY friends and n~eighbors. that
my residence in Mississippi entitled me
resided In Mississippi IN 1915. One thing
is certain, he could not reside in Mem.
phis and Mississippi at n and the
The charter Of Memphis expressly
provides that the mayor must have re-
aided In Memphis five years before he
can hold that office. Was Mr.. Williams
= resident O Memphis when be had
my residence In Mississippi The
citizens a answer that question with.
out any legal advice.
Again Mr., Williams says: Il under
stood that residence rather than citi-
zsnship gave me the right 10 vote in
Mississippi. He says 4 have obtained
legal advice that this mistaken idea
does % ~disqualify me, and does not
good people Of Memphis to make me
their mayor
Again he admits his residence in
Mississippi In 1915, and again ne asks
the people TO override the plain pro-
Visions OF the Memphis charter, and
thereby again he admits that his cleo
ton means a law suit and political tur-
MOL.
Enough Political Turmoil.
Have not the people of Memphis had
enough OF this sort of thing? Why can
not Mr., Williams be satisfied to hold
ne office he has? Ought the people OF
Memphis permit him to Jockey with
ternine whether or not he is qualified
70 old the office of mayor? He SAYS
That Memphis has always been his home
Anu 'her people have been good to me
Why then should he now seek to cause
political turmoil and litigation?
he has been active In politics since
me early eighties, and viii doubtless
w " 81 bN0CVlltu DUlllltlAIl4
He knew he could not vote in Missis.
sippi. until he registered. and before he
could register In Mississippi he was re.
CURED to subscribe to ali oath, saving
he had resided there for two years.
YET In his signed statement, he now
declares that oath 70 be q purely per.
and resident Of Memphis al that time
ana knew that he was not ceasins to
be q T~ennessean, he then knew that he
was not entitled to register and vote In
Mississippi. Ought he not now to tell
the people Of Memphis, who have been
good TO him, which horn OF the dilemma
ne taxes ne says. when he signed tina
was to be . formal matter TO sub,
scribe, to an oath 10 a most selemnly
formal matter, Why not explain to the
people Of Memphis Just what is meant?
But MIR. Williams accuses Some hos.
Qle. person Of muUlatlng the records OF
peSoto county, Miss, why would an
snsmL seek TO destroy the evidence Of
Who Gut Records
But the latest news from Mr. Wt.
Jams is that the Memphis charter ia
UNCONSTITUTIONAL and because IL IA mn
constitutional Mr.. Williams can held
We office O. MAYER, This IL another
%N'f''Nich NiaN hi0 WlEttlpH means ntix
cation. 1t Ia an admission that M viii
attack the charter of our great CITY, II
ne people will elect him to another Of.
flee An admission Of more expenae
for the people, and consequent high tay
rates, 80" e@N
But the city charter In not unoons,;.
tutioh4l, Under. the constitution III.
legislature has the power TO preserihs
~, qualifications for city officers, Nh.
Williams statement is an admission
tnat ne cannot meet the qualifications
prescribed. Is II not now time fcv tbe
people of Memphis 10 have a rest from
Political turmoil Indeed they viii elect
! ncnrartisan ticket. 40 that w NAV
have sn era OF city building, Of I'd.
operative effort and of good win. ThA
politician ms have utterly failed to silva
bs political peace. Is 1t not new tinS
Ter the masses OF the people TO take !
handP Good government, honest cleo
tons. goed schoole end well paid taaeb.
-. 49, - -L " -. 49,