1922 Encyclopædia Britannica/Tennessee

TENNESSEE (see ). The pop. in 1920 was 2,337,885 as against 2,184,789 in 1910, an increase of 153,096, or 7% as against 8.1% in the preceding decade. The negro pop. during 1910-20 decreased numerically from 473,088 to 451,758, and decreased proportionally from 21.7% of the total to 19.3%. The average density of pop. in 1920 was 56.1% per sq. m.; in 1910 it was 52.4. The urban pop. (in places of 2,500 inhabitants or more) increased from 20.2% of the total in 1910 to 26.1% in 1920. Only two cities, Memphis and Nashville, had in 1920 more than 100,000 inhabitants; only two, Knoxville and Chattanooga, had between 50,000 and 100,000. The following table shows the pop. and increase per cent, for the six cities exceeding 10,000 for the decade 1910-20:&mdash;

History.—In 1910 Benjamin W. Hooper (b. 1870) was elected governor, following a serious split in the Democratic party over the prohibition question. He was the only Republican elected to state office, and was the first Republican governor since 1883. He took a strong stand for prohibition. The Democratic Legislature displayed much opposition to the governor, and his inauguration was delayed through lack of a quorum until Jan. 25 1911. The regular Democrats passed a bill depriving the governor of the power of appointing the state board of elections, and raising the number of members from three to seven. The bill was vetoed by the governor, and to prevent its passage over the veto the Republicans and independent Democrats migrated to Alabama, where they remained until acquiescence in the veto was forced. The governor also vetoed a bill giving $500 additional salary to each member of the Legislature, but approved an amended bill reducing the increase to $200. In 1911 the Legislature chose Luke Lea (b.1879) to succeed U.S. Senator James B. Frazier. In 1912 Hooper was renominated for governor and was reëlected over Benton McMillin (b. 1845; governor 1899-1903), the Democratic candidate. Robert Love (&ldquo;Bob&rdquo;) Taylor; (b. 1850), U.S. Senator since 1907, died March 31 1912. He was a representative in Congress 1879-81, governor 1887-91 and 1897-9, and unsuccessful candidate for governor 1910. He was long a picturesque figure in state politics and widely known as a popular lecturer. In the gubernatorial campaign in 1886 his Republican opponent was his own brother Alfred Alexander (&ldquo;Alf&rdquo;) Taylor (see below). They stumped the state together, Bob everywhere winning favour by his stories and folk songs and his &ldquo;fiddle.&rdquo; As his successor to the Senate the Legislature in 1913 chose John K. Shields (b. 1858), a member of the state Supreme Court since 1902 and Chief Justice since 1910. Another prominent politician, James D. Porter (b. 1828), governor 1875-9, died May 8 1912. In July 1915 the city of Nashville was placed in the hands of a receiver, as the result of the disappearance of the city's cash books covering the period 1908-12, and in 1916 the mayor was removed from office for remissness of duty. In Nov. 1915 the mayor of Memphis, the commissioner of fire and police, and the judge of the municipal court were removed from office for failure to enforce the prohibition law. In the presidential election of 1916 Wilson received 152,955 votes and Hughes 116,257. In 1920 Harding received 219,829 votes and Cox 206,558. For the first time since 1868 the Republican presidential candidate carried the state. A Republican governor also was elected, &ldquo;Alf&rdquo; Taylor, brother of the former Democratic governor. Taylor received 229,463 votes as against 182,836 for A. H. Roberts, who had been renominated by the Democrats.

Proposals made by the Legislature to call a constitutional convention were defeated in 1916, 1917 and 1920. In Sept. 1916 a new bridge across the Mississippi at Memphis was opened. An Act prohibiting the manufacture of intoxicating liquor in the state became effective Jan. 1 1910; in Oct. 1913 Gov. Hooper called a special session of the Legislature and secured passage of the so-called nuisance bill, intended to close every saloon in the state, forbidding the sale of intoxicating liquor within four miles of any school; in 1915 provision was made for removal from office of state, county, or city officials who failed to enforce the prohibition law; on Feb. 2 1917 Gov. Rye signed a bill forbidding the importation of liquor into the state. The hours of labour for women were reduced to 58 per week after Jan. 1 1914 and to 57 after Jan. 1 1915. In 1913 for the first time the reporting of accidents was required, wherever persons were employed; provision was made for enforcing the installation of additional fire escapes in factories; and a department of workshop and factory inspection was created. The same year an Act was passed

providing &ldquo;that married women be and are hereby fully emancipated from all disability on account of coverture, and the common law as to the disabilities of married women and its effect on the rights of property of the wife is totally abrogated.&rdquo; On April 1 1913 the Legislature ratified the amendment to the Federal Constitution for popular election of U.S. senators. In 1915 a law was passed providing for mothers' pensions. In 1917 the letting of prison labour to private contractors was prohibited, and an Act was passed forbidding the limiting of the output of coal for increasing the price. The same year a State Budget Commission was created, having as its members the governor, the comptroller, the treasurer, the secretary of state, and the auditor. The wilful setting fire to any woods was made a felony. On Aug. 18 1920 the House by 50 to 46 voted to concur in the Senate resolution (adopted Aug. 13 by five to four), ratifying the proposed amendment to the Federal Constitution, providing for woman suffrage. As the 36th state (out of the 48 in the American Union) to ratify, Tennessee brought the number up to the requisite three-fourths. The contest among the legislators was bitter, and there were attempts to rescind the House's action on constitutional grounds. Governor Roberts, however, on Aug. 24, sent certification of the state's ratification to Secretary of State Colby, who on Aug. 26 proclaimed the Federal amendment for woman suffrage to be in effect.

In the World War Tennessee furnished to the army, navy and marine corps 91,386 men. Contributions to the various war loans were as follows: First Liberty Loan $10,924,800; Second $26,043,650; Third $33,783,250; Fourth $55,867,250; Victory Loan $37,555,450.

Recent governors have been: Malcolm R. Patterson (Dem.), 1907-11; Benjamin W. Hooper (Rep.), 1911-5; Thomas C. Rye (Dem.), 1915-9; A. H. Roberts (Dem.), 1919-21; Alfred A. Taylor (Rep.), 1921-. (G. C. S.)