The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-11-06

Before Tuesday night few republicani
could be found who seriously thought
Gov. Roberts could be defeated. And
ns for unearthlng n local member OF this
q. o. r. who would. even In Jest, claim
the state for Harding that was almost
impossible, Yet In Marion ana III New
York there were calmly confident pre-
dictions that Harding had q splondis
chance In the Volunteer state.
Fourteen months ago or more II wal
brought 20 the attention OF Mr.. VIII
Hays, chairman Of the republican M
tional committee, that by the proper or.
Ranlsation Tennessee could be made q
doubtful state. MINDFUL Of the way the
1915 election swung on the vote o.
California, and that some new terri
tory favorable 20 his party might wei
be necessary, Mr.. Hays began 70 de-.
veiop a thorough organization In Ten
nessee.
ie was assisted In this by many sti
leaders, Former. Senator Sanders ".
close 10 the party leaders and per
nonal friend OF Senator Harding. Jesse
NJ. Littleton, at that time national
committeeman for TENNESSEE. was ons
OF those 70 point out 70 Mr.. Hays that
Tennessee could be made republican
John Houk. OF Knoxville, another q
o. p. warhorse, gave him forcible facts
to support the contention And the re-
publlcans decided TO make strong Of.
fort for the state,
They laid their hopes on the normal
vote Of tha state. Not over 10 per cent
OF the qualified voters had ever regis
tered IN those counties whore reglstrH'
tion II required, and q great list oi
counties never have registration at all
Rarely over 70 per cent Of those
registered cast their ballots. Now. Il
the republican party could secure .
fun registration OF It's membership, and
poll almost so many In the election, the
usual $4,000 democratic mAjorities would
be In grave danger.
Plans looking 20 getting out q fui
registration were gotten under way
card indexes OF the various counties oi
the state were prepared; every known
republican was gotten 10 register. and
afterwards 70 vote.
Those counties where the registration
law does not apply were made an eSpe-
cial object OF attention. II took hard
work Ia these mountain counties TO get
out every possible vote, but II was
done. and nearly every vote IN these
counties IL republican. Tho mountain
vote u was that made the Taylor ma
jority 80 huge. and put Harding over.
The lack OF a registration law In n
large part OF the state has always made
Tennessee elections more or less Of an
uncertainty. The registration figures
which were the only data that demo.
cratic leaders could estimate from
covered only about a third Of the coun-
ties. and the remainder, many hnck In
the republican stronghoids Of East Ten
nessee. gave greatly varying votes for
the republican candidates.
After the ratification OF suffrage. the
mountain vote was much more powers
full, and the uncertainty as TO It's size
was increased, Reports from Upper
East Tennessee tell Of a tremendous
woman vote some farmers and moun-
taineers brought their wife, child
mother and sometimes grandmother Go
the polls with them. Aud that aided
Immensely tho Harding totals in the
state.
II took sldiful organization and care
ful work by the party managers In the
state 90 bring out this vote. Thero Il
no doubt Of the power of the Slatcconl-
mittees. Mrs, }. =. Boaslcy 90 Nprh.
vile. chairman " toe womca'R hia 90