The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-04-08
REPUBLICANS SEEK
ACAND|DATEFOR
GOVERNORS RACE
Generally Conceded That Gen.
Wood viii Get Delegates to
National >. Convention in
CHICAGO,

~
:. On Wednesday, April IL. the Repub.
lican state convention meets in Chat
tanooga to nominate candidate for
governor OF Tennessee and to select
delegates to the national Republican
convention that meets in Chicago in
dent,
tits safe to predict that the Tennes-
see delegation will go to Chicago with
instructions to cast their votes under
the unit rule for Gen. Leonard Wood.
Even the supporters of other candi-
the national convention. This is a
complete reversal of the situation as 1t
was before word was passed down the
line for the politicians to take charge
Of the situation.
Some months ago there was scarcely
a prospect that Gov. Lowden of Illi-
n0is, would have any difficulty In Sc
curing instructed delegates from Ten
nessee. He is known in the state, has
property interest in adjoining states
the South and understands their prob
lens to the fullest.
There was strong sentiment for
hhim not confined to the limits of his
own party. Farmers, business men,
personal friends and others who knew
the Illinois executive by. reputation
threatened the solidarity Of the Demo-
cratic South by pledging their support
to him in the event of his nomination.
The sentiment was expressed by life
Wong Democrat who said:
"There is no hope for president
to come from the South. II a Demo-
crat Is elected he will come from the
East or North and perhaps lack un-
derstanding Of the problems of the
South. If Lowden is nominated, while
he will come from an opposition party,
the South will have a friend In him;
II Is better to have Republican friend
than Democrat who is Indifferent to
our peculiar problems"
Hitchcock Changed It.
But when Frank Hitchcock. took
charge of Gen. Woods campaign all
things were changed. He is strong
with the Southern Republicans because
he was once postmaster general and
that; is the CHIEF office of the nation so
far as a Southern Republican Is con-
cerned. Hitchcock gave instructions
/ that a fight must be made for Wood
in every state. He has gone into Low
state he Is giving Johnson fight
iflE California. There is no extension
of ecourtesies in Wood headquarters
The result Is that the Southern states
have fallen in line and may be counted
in the Wood corral. 1t is not believed
that the extensively advertised use Of
money has seriously offended many OF
the Tennessee Republicans.
With Sam Sells, member OF congress
from the First district, in charge OF
the Wood campaign. and j. VIII Tay-
lor, member from the Second district;
the only two Republican members OF
the house from the state, working IN
full accord in the interest OF Gen. WOOD
that phase Of the contest to be pre-
sented at the Chattanooga convention
NAV be abandoned and attention given
to the equally absorbing contest for
povernor,
Thus far the only avowed candidate
for the Republican nomination is Jesse
M. Littleton, of Chattanooga. Littleton
belongs to the liquor branch OF the
Republicans that has always supported
the candidate that best represented It's
views on that question regardless OF
marty. There are thousands OF Re-
[ publicans who would feel that they
were voting to nul!ity the prohloiIIto.n !.
laws II they cast their votes for Lit
The practical men of the. party be-
lieye this is a good year for Repub-
lican success in Tennessee They say
II West Tennessee candidate can pc
named he will be elected. They base
this opinion upon the fact that GOV;
Roberts Is not popular with organized
labor; that his assessment law Is not
popular in the country ana that tne
Democrats of West and Middle rem
nessee, representing the disaffected
element, will support a West Tennes-
see Republican but would not vote for
a rock-ribbed Republican from East
Tennessee.
Ross Is Strong.
The best chance for success they
admit, was In the nomination OF Judge
Nv, Ross, of Jackson, chancellor OF
that division. But Judge Ross mas ue
clined to become a candidate He was
elected chancellor by Democratic con.
stituency and is considered one OF the
hest Judges in the state. He would
make a strong candidate perhaps the
strongest the Republicans could name.
However, this year the Republicans
say they are going out to succeed. They
Ennw that the surest way through
the slaugher house to the open grave
e. TO nominAte Jesse Littleton or any
one of the few representatives or MS
faction. Former Senator Newell san
ders would make a strong candidate,
co would H. Clay Evans or Judge WIN
Wright. John w. Overall might make
a better race than he did against Rye
and even John @. Eaton, OF Memphis
On the right kind of platform might,
GO the Republicans say, give Coy. Rob-
epts considerable trouble in this part
vi The % party that pledges itself to the
-eneal of the public utilities law win
sereive the support of many voters re-
CARELESS of their former political affih-
alton.