The Covington leader. (Covington, Tenn.) 18??-current, 1921-01-06
STATE LEGISLATURE
FULLY ASSEMBLED
BOND AND TODD ARE ELECTED
SPEAKERS
Members Getting Down to Real
Business-GOv. Roberts Delivers
Farewell Message-Much Time is
Spent in Electing Officers.

.
Farewell Message-Much Time is
Spent in EIecting Officers.
Nashville, Tenn, January 3.-W.
w. Bond, Of Brownsville, represent
ing Fayette and Haywood counties
in the senate, Monday at caucus Of
the Democratic senators in Nash
vile, was agreed upon as the Demo-
cratic speaker of the senate.
A. 4. Todd, If Rutherford county,
was nominated for speaker of the
house, having received a majority Of
the Democratic votes on the first
ballot. His nomination also is equiv
alentm ito an election.
Mr. Bonds nomination was made
unanimous ais a result of the with
drawal of Senator Dan E. McGpgin,
Of Davidsn county, Sunday night,
Mr.. McGugin was the only formid-
able opponent Mr. Bond had for the
honor.
Mr.. Bond came into prominence
during the last session of the legis-
lature as floor leader of the admin
istration forces III the house. AT
the extra session of the legislature
Mr.. B nd broke away from the adj
ministration on the suffrage ques-
tion and led the forces of opposition
to ratification of the suffrage amend
ment. He is an able lawyer, a SPLEEN
did parliamentarian and has large
circle of admirers throughout the
state.
The last speaker of the senate
from West Tennessee was Hon. Will
liam Kinney, who also represented
Fayette and Haywood counties, and
served during the time the successful
FIGHT was made to extend the four
mile law to all PARTS If the state,
commonly called the prohibition law.
Harry Wilson, Of Henry county
was nominated BY the caucus Mon
Law to be chief clerk of the senate,
defeating W. Nj, Carter, of Marshall
county, who has served several
terms and made a splendid record as
Jerk Wilson has served as assist
ant clerk 81 the house. He was first
elected assistant clerk when Gov
Rye began his term as governor.
During the last few years he has
been engaged in selling oil stock.
The election of A. L. Todd, Of
Murfreesboro, as speaker of the
house came as no surprise. Mr.
Todd was speaker of the senate. in
which BODY he served during the last
session. In the caucus Monday morn
ing, the first roll call gave Todd 20
votes; Britton, Of Obion county, 10
votes, and HAYS Clark. Of Chatta-
nooga, nine votes. Mr.. Todd having
received a majority of the votes
cast, his nomination was made unani-
nous.
The nomination of John Green, of
Haywood county, to be clerk Of the
house was foregone conclusion, as
he had no opposition. His nina
tione was unanimous Mr.. Green has
been clerk Of the house for several
wears and prior to that time served
two terms as assistant to Charles
Cason.
Nashville, Tenn, January A.
John B. Thomson, of Memphis, was
re-nominated for comptroller Of the
state treasury by the joint Demo-
cratic caucus tonight over Col. Harry
S. Berry, Of Gallatin, and George P.
Wo lien, Of Dyersburg. Mr.. Thoma-
son got So votes on the first ballot,
eight more than was necessary to
nominate Col Berry got % votes
and Mr.. Weollen got Is.
A few minutes lates ~ TIE same COM
bination put Ernest N naston, Of
Ven Buren, county, over for secre-
tarv of state bv vote of 81 to 80
fer Lon P Mcfarland, Of Lebanon.
Aside from long defense Of his
assessment law and the state police
bill, Gov. Roberts in his message,
asked the Democrats of the legisla-
ture to be ready with reprisals if
congress attempts any cutting down
Of Southern representation.
"The law of self-defense applies
as well to political parties" the gov
ernor said, "as to individuals, If
the dominant party in the nation at
tempts by course both unjust and
ndefensible to destroy the party to
which majority Of your bodies and
myself belong, it is not only your
privilege, but it becomes your duty,
to use such honorable weapons as
may be at your command for the
purpose Of protecting that party
which has done more than all other
parties combined in the history Of
the republic to preserve the rights
and liberties Of the people,
The governor also urged that
quorum breaking in the legislature
be made a felony and that the seat
of an absconding legislator be ips5
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