The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-08-10
MEMPHIS SAID
TO BE ROTTEN
WITH POLITICS
BY {. c. RODGERS.

Memphis Tenn Aug This is the
town where they've sent an editor 10
Jail for daring TO say, Right win ulti-
mately triumph in Memphis"
This is the town where the boss sys-
tenn of municipal government still pre-
walls, and where the political boss rules
with an iron hand; where most of the
public officials serve the boss-not the
public
No American city is as boss-ridden as
Is Memphis today. And what Memphis
is today she has been for years past
Ed Crump. notorious among American
political bosses. is sovereign supreme In
Memphis Not only in Memphis. but in
all western Tennessee, and by alliances,
throughout all the state He is as pow
erful in the state capitol he is I'm the
municipal building here IN Memphis.
And that, in q nutshell. is why Editor
Edward t. Leach is in jail.
A former editor of the Press was sent
to jail because the Press exposed the
corruption of the Crump gang. They
but Crump proved his power in Mem
phis, and naturally enough expected
other editors would fear him the more.
For let me tell you. the Memphis Jail
is the worst hole in the world in which
to spend summer day. And Editor
Leach has to spend TEN days and nights
there because he was fearless enough to
tell the people of Memphis the truth
about political conditions in their city.
Years ago Ed Crump came up here
from Holly Springs. N. is- He could han
die other peoples votes, especially of the
floatir-y variety. He early acquired
leadership in the dominant democratic
party. and eight years ago became city
hess. Since then Memphis has been
tern into two factions: the Crump AMI
anti-Crump factions. Generally Crump
ruled. Seems when he was beaten at
the polls he found a means of winning
over public Officials after they were
elected on anti-Crump platforms.
In 1917. Irsael III. Peres. an avoved
anti-Crump lawyer, was appointed chan
cellor of the chancery court of this
(Shelby) county. He was named by
Governor Rye. an anti-Crump man. en-
dorsed by the Memphis anti-Crump fac
ton.
In 1918 Crump legal case came up IN
his court. The state election board had
ordered the removal of a Memphis cleo
ton official. This official was Crump
man. An anti-Crump man had been ap-
pointed in his place.
Crump's election official refused to get
out. On the eve of the election he came
into Judge Peres' court and asked for an
injunction restraining the state board
from ousting him. And this injunction
Judge Peres granted.
Next day it happened that The Mem
it denounced political corruption, includ-
ing this:
Even courts have been brought into
disrepute and judges have abandoned
the principles of loyalty and integrity,
have made farce of the laws. they
swore to enforce, have dragged their
courts in the mire, have turned traitors
to their friends and supporters, and enc
mics to the principles they professed be-
cause the politicians have laid their
hands them and forced them to do
their bidding
This was shoe especially made by
this fearless editor for ANY judge it
would FIT.
And some of Judge Peres' friends
jumped at the conclusion that it might
fit HIM. And Judge Peres pulled Edi-
tor Leech into his court on a contempt
charge.
Judge Peres was a candidate for re-
election. The election official he kept
in office over the state boards protest
was one of those whc. presided at the
judges own election a few days later.
Judge Peres and his friends thought
the editor hitting It him when he
wrote that editorial
Editor Leech, in court and out, has in
sisted he was striking at general po1iti-
cal conditions here in Memphis. Just