The Lexington progress. (Lexington, Tenn.) 1884-current, 1920-07-23
NUMBER 81
COL. w. X. CRABTREE
SPEAKS AT JACKSON.

1000 voters, who filled the circuit
court room of the Madison county
courthouse, Col. w. R. Crabtree made
by far the best speech of his cam
paign here this afternoon for the
Democratic nomination for Governor.
Speaking for more than an hour,
he introduced several new matters, rs
we'll as elaborated much more fully
the arguments against Roberts as
sessment law, the inheritance tax law
upon insurance, the public utilities
law, and the defects of the state high
way commission.
The chief new matter that he
brought out against Governor Rob-
erts was the Governors abuse Of the
fire prevention bureau to further his
political interests. He charged that
salaries were paid in excess Of those
allowed by the appropriation bill of
1919, and that legislators, politicians,
editors, farmers and men in other
walks of life were upon the staff Of
the bureau and on the states payroll
in violation Of the law. Among this
number he named Walter Cain, asso-
ciate editor Of the Nashville Banner,
to whom warrants Of 500 each have
been issued for the last four months.
About the Bureau.
With regard to the fire prevention
bureau, he said in part:
A careful and accurate investiga-
tion of the bureau, which have had
made recently by my headquarters,
brings out some rather interesting
and Illuminating facts and informa-
tion about the bureaus operation un-
der Governor Roberts.
1T shows that the bureau is being
administered by members Of the leg
islature, politicians, editors. farmers
and men in other walks of life, as well
as bysa few good men who have had
real experience in fire insurance
work.
1T shows that eleven fire marshals
are employed Beyond the number al
lowed by the appropriation bill.
1T shows that salaries are being
paid in excess Of the amount provid-
ed for them by Governor Roberts on
April 16, 1919, and that more men
are employed that the said act al
lows.
1t shows among other things that
Walter Cain, associate editor of the
Nashville Banner, who has been most
vigorous in its columns in denouncing
all who oppose Governor Roberts,
draws salary of 800 monthly from
the State Administration as well as
money from the newspaper for which
he writes.
Warrants were drawn in Mr..
Gains favor as follows:
March /, warrant No. 2146, 500.
"April /, warrant No. 2214, 500.
"Mal l, warrant No. 1869, 500.
June /, warrant No. 2349, 500.
1T is for the Governor to say
whether Mr.. Gains editorials in the
Governors behalf can be regarded as
fire prevention work and whether
this donation of 500 per month of
States money to the Associate edi-
.or of the Banner is because the Gov
ernor, in his generosity with the peo-
ple's money, regards the sum of 500
per month to the Banners associate
editor as necessary to secure the
Banners editorial support. Under
either aspect, the Governor must re-
gard the Banners editorial column as
cheaper than its advertising columns.
Cain IL Not Alone.
However, Mr.. Cain was far from
being alone in fire marshaling,'
which has become one of the favorite
political devices for obtaining polit-
cal support. The official list of dep
ity fire marshals' upon the states
,ay roll, who draw regular salaries
rom the state by the vouchers of the
department., includes the following:
u. S. Crawford, member of Legis-
ature from Bedford County.
-. H. Forgy, Maury county.
Nv. X. Kenton, Gibson county.
"B. Mart Rice, Davidson county.
Nv. c. Thronebury, member of
from Coffee county.
Carl A. Larsen, member Of Legis-
ature from Shelby county.
&c. S. Barger, Sullivan County.
H. L. Conyers, Crockett county.
"Dow E. Slagle, Putwan county, re,
emily a candidate for the Senate
rom his county upon the Roberto
ieket, but who withdrew from the
ace after the exposure of his conuec-