The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-10-23
WILLIAMS SMOKE
SCREEN DOES NOT
CONCEAL RECORD
Tries to Hide Behind Barrage
Of 0ratOriCal Charges That
Do Not Touch Real ISueS In
vOlved in Campaign.

Although J. J. williams is evidently
trying TO hide behind black smoke
screen of charges aimed in every direc-
ton except at the real issues OF the
present campaign, his long record Of ~
years in and out OF office-but always
In polttics-aHd extending from Pinch
TO Horn Lake, Miss, cannot be con-
cealed
II begins to look as II someone was
going to have the truth told about hina
before the city campaign ends Nov. s.
No one can assert now that the cam
paign in larguishing for lack OF charges
and counter charges, There may be
lack OF enthusiasm among some OF the
voters, but there is no lack OF that
very useful quality in the charges that
are being hurled, both verbally nad
through full page newspaper ADVERTISE
ments in all the papers, by the sup
porters OF the two tickets.
One issue Is scarcely drawn by the
Citizens League candidates, than the
Williams supporters dodge 1t and start
rolling barrage Of oratory and smoke
screen of printers ink In another di-
rection, sometimes aimed at Rowlett
lainc, candidate for mRVor in oppcai-
ton 10 MIR. Williams, sometimes In n
direction which they calculate may helm
TO divert public attention from Mr.
williams record during his 40 years Of
office holding and office seeking,
SAuhhP ohouBub 1u'
For the past two days the, concen-
tratod fire Of the oratorlcsl batteries
and the Williams advertisement writ
| crs has heen directed toward y. II.
Crump, who Is not running for office.
These charges have become particular
| " bitter since MIR. Crump announced
that he preferred, personally, the Paine
ticket to Mr. Williams
Mr., Crump, recent events Indicate,
Il haN Ia. tA do ,.Flt tIa
| nomination of the Citizens League
candidates. Iie s not a member OF the
| league. and scarcely a dozen men or
| women among the 800 whose names
We're printed as present when the Cit
liens League WIS organized, had eTar
been even one OF his supporters,
a strong movement was launched
| less than three weeks ago TO form
third ticket, Col, VIM. j. Bacon am
| nounCed for mayor and Il number Of
| names Of probable candidates for com
| missioner on his ticket were printed by
! the newspapers. II was admitted that
| II Col Bacon made the race he would
| have Mr.. Crump's active support But
! his friends finally decided that Col
| Bacon had entered the race too late
| and he announced his withdrawal IT
was number OF days later that Mr.
| Crump announced his personal choice
between the two tickets,
| RCut WOlh mug NSht
The real issue will be ciouded by the
| smoke screens from the Williams po.
litical mud seow, Il posslho Personal
ord as food administrator, have been
ttnieA by him, Charges that tho Cit
igens League. which started into the
campaign with more than LOCO mem
bers, Is composed Of 20 men, are ad-
| mIttedly~ absurd
Charges that the Paine ticket is
| 'high brow" aggregation, are equally
absurd In tho face Of the fact that every
nan on II worked with his hands, Ia.
| bored long hours, in his early manhood
and boyhood MIR. Paine was an office
| boy IN IA grocery store; Mai. Tom Allen,
a working machinist; Horace Johnson,
a printer, who works at his trade now
| every day; Charley Shannon sold milk
| for his widowed mother aud later was
a railroad clerk and John Il. Edgar also
worked his way up from an humple
Tho real issue remains that these
Young business men, with an ambition
| to give Memphis city government
| free from foul partisan politics, are
| offering their services for four years 70
| the people,
| on the other hand. stands Mr., VIII
lmms long record Of tactioral politics,
| Of trucking and subserHienoe TO public
| utility corporations when he was
mayor; of benefiting by fraudulent
| elections. ballot box stufflnE, the con
| troll of elections through the police
| force. and the fact that he IL now sup
! nortcd by Mayor Monteverde and every
| sinister political influence In Memnhis
| MIR Crump ig usually able to fight
| his own battles, but II the charges
| limited at by the Cltl2eHs' League afn
| followed by the proof the thousands Or
voters who have forgotten MIR, Williams
| rl an