The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-10-13
WILLIAMS STANDS
ON CONSTITUTION

J. J.. Williams will stay In the raoa
for mayor and will rely upon the opinion
Of a lawyer, said to be Caruthers Ewing.
that the city charter provision. making
a full five years bona fide residence in
Memphis one of the qualifications to
hold the office Of mayor, might be In
violation Of the constitution Of the Unit
ed States.
Mr.. Williams has at last admitted
That he did both register and vote IN
DeSoto county, Mississippi, in the SUM
mer OF 1915. He admits that he signed
the page Of the registration book where
on the oath, required by the laws OF
Mississippi was printed, but claims that
this, to use his own words, was merely
a "~perfunctory act" whatever he may
consider that to mean.
There is now no dispute as to the
facts The charter provision is clear.
So is Mr., Williams admission.
Mr.. Williams, in effect. casts aside
the fact that he lived in Mississippi for
six years, and that he was a registered
voter there and voted in at least one
election, as he had a perfect right to
do. He says il the proof of his regis
tration and of his vote has been cut
out Of the official records, he knows
nothing about it.
Twice Ineligible.
Friends Of Mr.. Williams now profess
to believe that by invoking the United
States constitution they might be able
to show that any such provision as that
requiring n years actual residence
in Memphis on the part of a candidate
for mayor would be in violation Of Mr.
Williams constitutional right to run for
office whenever and wherever he so
desired, the laws of Tennessee and the
city charter to the contrary notwith-
standing.
The provisions Of the city charter
have been tested again and again in the
courts, and those now on the books
have been uniformly upheld. Mr.. Will
liams did have some difficulties a few
years ago with an amendment known as
the ripper BILL" but that's another.
story, as our old friend Kipling would
say.
Mr.. Williams also recalled only a few
days ago that away back in 1898, when
he had only been running for office
about ten years, he happened to be.
elected mayo over the late Lucas Clapp.3
1t was charged at that time that Mr..
Williams was not a resident of Mem
phis, but in fact lived three miles be-
You'd the limits.
Mr.. Clapp's legal advisers told him he
could contest the election on that
ground, but he declined to do so.
Therefore, Mr.. Williams argues tina I
having once served as mayor, although
III DOlHl OF TACT ne was nUt etlB lDlt uu-s
der the charter, he should be allowed
the same privilege %again-in case he II
again elected. t
Plain Voters Viewpoint.
Many elections have come and gone
since 1898. Many a time and oft has
Mr.. Williams tossed his, hat into The
ring, yet these young men on the Cit
zens ticket, knowing nothing aboMs
politics. as they themselves are forcsa
to admit. think that a mere questien
of eligibility should be allowed 10 stana
in the way of a candidate who has madK
more races for office than any other MT
in Memphis, and ought TO know how
anyone does.
Times have indeed come to a pref
pass in Memphis, il politicians muss
obey the laws made n provided, aN<
be deprived of their i~nalienable riehs
to run for and hold office just becauMe
Of some law that nobody cares anythtAE
about, That's Mr.. Williams p~osition :
CLEANED from the observations of an
friends. Some Of those friends are even
lawyers. t#
But such persons as are not poIIEis
clans, merely private citizens, hoAae1
Eholders and taxpayers, can't see throNHt
the logic of the situation as MI, Wit
liams views it. Some of the wopiek
voters who are nightly welcome04 M
1.-THE candidates i'm their speeches al eMt
new fellow citizens tgreat applause
also cam not quite grasp the suh3enN
, They can't see how anytman whofptos
| poses TO disregard a plainly worded Axs
. relating to one subject, could be ableskt
give a clear Interpretation to some 0tn.
er law, which perhaps he personal---very.
=. not approve of.
I Perhaps Mr., williams will be abb a
; change this strange viewpoint Of e15nl
Of the voters and convert them to jill
own view of the matter before the Clos
of the campaign. And then again, Nsk|
haps not.