The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-11-09
DEMOCRATS MEET
TO TALK PARTy'S
future POLICY
Shelby Has Chance at
Speakership Is Busy
Trying to Organize His
Forces in Legislature.

Democratic members select Of the
legislature will have conference in
Nashville Wednesday for the pur-
pose of outlining preliminary lines
OF procedure looking to the reorgani-
cation of the party in Tennessee. The
conference will not attempt to usurp
the functions of the state committee,
but will discuss proposed legislation
and other matters falling within the
Jurisdiction of the legislature.
The Importance of the conference
is accentuated by the fact that Luke
Lea is having series of individual
/ conferences with Democratic MEM
| electing speaker. The rumor comes
out of Nashville that, as. usual, ne is
promising to support various men,
bers from various parts OF the state
II is reported that he favors Billy
! Bond, Of Haywood county, and that
| he also intimated to Walter Chandler
Of Shelby county, that he would sup
port him. Mr.. Chandler was in
| Nashville last weekend for con-
| ference with Lea. Senators Fuller
| and Bejach, the other two Shelby
county senator's, will go to Nashville
| for the conference Wednesday of all
Democratic members who care TO re-
spond to the invitation. Mr.. Chand-
Ter will not be able to go along.
The first report from Nashville re-
| garding the revival of Democratic
activity was that Lea was engaged
in the formation of a combine be-
tween the Republicans and such DEM
Il fas H. tNRAe e. AAt
| for the purpose of electing a speaker
| that he was sending calls out to this
senators asking them to go to Nash
vile and talk matters over with him
Lea on Warpath.
In addition to the election of {
speaker of the senate and house, Lea
is interested in defeating John B
Thomason for state comptroller anC
Hill McAlister for state treasurer
and the election of a successor t
Ike Stevens, secretary of state, who's
term expires with the election of hi
successor by the legislature.
| Lea is particularly hostile to Nc
Alister, who defeated him for distric
delegate to the national convention
last spring by an overwhelming ma
Il joriety. Lea was not allowed a sea
in the state convention. He still
seems to entertain the hallucinatioI
that he is to get control of the Demo
cratic party in Tennessee. 1t will b.
recalled that he was elected to thu
senate by a fusion of Republican,
and Democrats.
u Gov. Roberts has no intention, ac
cording to the statement of re
sponsible official in Nashville, of at
tempting to dictate the organization
Of the legislature. It was understood
that II. B. McGinness, many year
secretary to Cordell Hull, congress
man from the Fourth district, wa
slated to receive the support of th
administration for speaker, but tn
defeat of Mr.. Hull and the defeat o
Gov. Roberts is generally admitted
to have put him out Of the running
Shelby county has a chance t
elect a speaker of the senate at tn
next session provided the three sen
ators stand together. BejachSis no
averse to being speaker and has
record of splendid service in the low
er house. Fuller has record of sew
eral terms in the senate and as chair
man of the finance, ways and mean
committee of the last Legislature mad
a record for himself as a senator an
| administrator