The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-07-23

-
Interest Wednesday centered around
the candidacy of j, j. williams for
Rmayor. following the announcement
That Mayor Frank l.. Monteverde would
not be candidate for reelection in
& November.
wly nat he would run, when seen We'd
3nesday morning. But he intimated that
he was mighty close to making such
IAN announcement.
4 He has been assured of at least a
3 two-way support. Mayor Monteverde
has told him he would throw his in
& fluence to him. On top of this, John
s n Walsh president of the North Mem
phis Savings bank, and political leader
OF North Memphis. Is openely and
Joe and myself were political kids
together" Mr.. Walsh said. He can
1 depend absolutely on all the influence
have in furthering his election eo
Two other bases of support, or TT tac-
tions, are yet to be heard from; There
is talk of an independent citizens ticket
And where the weight of the political
prestige Of E. g. Crump, county trus-
tee. will be thrown is not known at
this time.
Never Lost Citizenship.
But j. J. Williams, who was mayor
Of Memphis from 1893 to 1906 is in the
liInelight of political prominence at
present. And this has brought a about ., - a
revival of the tale that Mr.: WllnaIls
Of the fact that he maintained resi-
dence in Mississippi for some time:
In reply to this, Mr.. Williams
"Wednesday stated that there was moth
ing to the ineligibility, rumor; He never
4 down there and improved a small farm,
to sell it for a profit, and ne alu 80,
he said, A portion Of this time he was
there, he said, he maintained resi-
dence on Young avenue, in memphis
Friends say he always called memphis
one thing was made plain by event:
which transpired Tuesday night anc
"Wednesday morning. That Is thai
Mayor Monteverde is especially anxious
to make Williams .s appear 70 fsoto pe n'
Williams' statements recently are th'
hest refutation of this. He has re
neatedly declined to be a candidate o
any faction. He vows that II ne runs
he wants support wntrereL t noa,a ne nronise ron
4 In advance, as to what he Will DO art
A. A. he is elected, he said Wednesda!
morning.
Practically Announces.
"The chances now appear about y
TO that ] will be candidate ior mayo
of Memphis" Mr.. Williams said at moo
/ should Williams prove to be eligibl
for holding office, and should ne be se se
lected as the Crump- Walsh- MonaeVeou .e 'eoii
faction, a unique situation III local po''
tics would be created. ,. o.
Names of possible candidates tor ie
low commissioners with Mr. Wlliial,
already are being talked PTon,lne, @
among these is Lieut.. Col. w. ). Bacol
who was criminal court clerk up 10 sep
1915. when Mr.. Williams was electe
his successor The name OF hug
Buckinham also is being mentioned.
His Mississippi home was at to5ii 9,
corner, in DeSoto county, short az
lance south of the Tennessee state I'm
search of the poll list from 1906
isis for that precinct Wednesday tail'
10 show him as having registered
Mayor for Williams.
Monteyerde was about to inject an 81
into his withdrawal from the race
the mayors office, early Wednesd'
morning, saying tnat .,, ms rwaae w,,ae'I" 7
WiIiiarns to srun. II want him TO
he candidate" Mr.. Monteverde said.
'But il Mr. Williams will not be
candidate, will you reconsider
Monteyerde was asked.
Il have nothing to say as that nov
Asked for a statement which
Morning paper said he would prepa
setting forth his reasons for Withdra
ing his candidacy, the mayor said:
"If / have an announcement ~ '
4 be for the morning paper l VIII J
have anything for The News scim
AtS III il should be shown that Mr.. "
n ljams' residence in Mississippi torfel
y his right to become candidate
n mayor OF, Memphis, woun you
q - n@ a
II understand that before elect
II time the five-year period oil resldel
N required here will have elapsed in
Williams case" he replied.
Administration Unpopular.
9 Mayor f. l.. Monteverde announ
Til late Tuesday that he would not b
s candidate for reelection next Move
Der. The announcement came withi
S8 week after the mayor had stated p'
M lively that his hat was in the rin
M and that he would run for re-eiect
Enthusiasm was lacking when
E mayor made his announcement that
MA would be candidate. The popul
| evidently found II difficult to enth
# over a man who had increased t
| CITY tax rate 40 cents on the 800 va
|# alton, or from $1.80 to $2.20.
Then, too the action of the mayo
|N placing Charles B. Quinn, a Repu
can, at the head of the police dep
.nent. met with general disfavor.
|2Rh grew when Quinn, following Republi
| traditions, exploited negroes by pla.
| them to work as detectives. The NJ
teyerde faction reached the fever
va f1 ~ public disfavor when one n,
sleuth shot and dangerously woun
Charley Shields, former league
player.
Corporations Voracious.
The increased price foisted on
W public cf Memphis this year by
Z# .traat car company, which was gra