The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1919-01-03
TREASURER'S RACE
ONLY CONTEST FOR
GENERAL ASSEMBLE
TODD IN SENATE AND WALKER
IN HOUSE SLATED FOR SPEAK
ERHSIP BY ADMINISTRATION.
GOV. ELECT ROBERTS PREPARES
Making Earnest Effort to Put State
In Condition that Will Be a Bless
ing to Its People-TaxatIon 10 Big
Problem.
Special to The Herald.

Special to The Herald.
NASHVILLE, Tenn, Dec. U.s.
When the general as sembly/of Ten
nessee convenes one week next month
in biennial session it will be organic
ed by the incoming administration,
according to present indications. An
drew Todd, Of Murfreesboro, veteran
legislator and once defeated cand-
date for speaker, will be elected to
preside over the senate. He is, &C
cording to the politicians the choice
of Governor-elect Roberts. While
there are a number of other candi-
dates for speaker of the senate there
| is no question about Todd having the
| inside track and unless cog slips
somewhere he will be elected. He
has the support of Hon. ]. Parks Wor-
| ley, of the second district, who has
served longer in the legislature than
any member and who is generally
regarded as the most astute politician
in that body. Morley is slated to
again be chairman of the committee
on finance, ways and means, the most
powerful committee in the senate.
Seth Walker, of Wilson county,
who it is declared is also favored by
the incoming governor, unquestion-
ably is a favorite for speaker of the
House and his election appears to be
assured. Mr.. Walker is not so we'll
known in the politics of the state
as Mr.. Todd, but his friends declare
that he has all the qualifications for
a presiding officer.
There is only one real contest be-
fore the legislature and that is for
state treasurer. Porter Dunlap who
has served most acceptably for the
past four years and is one Of the
most popular men in the state, is
again a candidate. He is opposed by
Hill McAlister, former senator from
Davidson county and son of Judge
McAlister, former member of the SUI
preme court. Mr.. McAlister is chair
man of the yaefhbcratic state commit.
tee and is said to have the backing
of the incoming administration and
also of the Shields forces in the state.
His friends are sanguine that with
these influences behind him, his cleo
ton is sure, but the Dunlap forces
do not concede defeat, but on the
contrary declare that if the words OF
men count for anything, he has the
votes to put him over.
Governor-elect Roberts has been in
Nashville most of the time since the
election engaged in an earnest study
of state problems. There is no doubt
that he is sincerely anxious to give
the state an administration that will
be in every respect a credit and
blessing to it's people.
The governor-elect has devoted
much study to the vexations tax prob
lem. With the state spending hun
dreds Of thousands of dollars a year
more than it's revenues it is admitted
that there must either be substan-
tial increase in revenues or big
reduction in expenditures. 1t is i'm
possible to very materially reduce the
latter. AS compared with expenses
of local, county and national govern
ment, the expenses of the state have
not increased in proportion to the
increased cost of living. No one
would think of reducing the appropria-
tons for charities, benevolences, pen
sions to Confederate soldiers or for
education and these require the bulk
of all the money that is appropriated.
Judge Roberts has studied the tax
ing system of every state in the I'm
ion and will have some definite and
progressive recommendations to |
make to the solons. That he is 60
ing to be governor in fact as well as
in name is assured. He has conf
dence in his own judgement and he
expects to redeem the campaign |
pledges that he made to the people.