The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1894-02-08
The Snap Convention.

me 9ndp NOnNenLlOns
A cold chill passed over the STAFF
when i, was tolu tnat the Congressional
convention would meet on The 9Th Of
March, The stat is rot taking any
interes. in the caa didates at all, hut it
felt thar the matter should have been
h. Id ny n month or 80 TO allow th@se
little !, liows who we've hanging on the
ragged edge time to spit on their
hands.
From Its neutral position the Staff
points the finger OF warning Mt the
aggressive methods of d. B Hill aud
his famous "snap" as a solemn impre-
cation 10 that blind politician who
would dare To follow in The tracks
made ~ that s7ily snapper in the
deep SHOWS Of amldwinttr convention.
But rh- Stat, in its oxnl'a,i"n over
the supposed narbinger vi Browniow's
defeat, forgets that the New Yo'k
"ensp" did not beat Hill, but gave him
the Stale, just AS it was called to de-.
The STAFF and the calamity howlerS
will have to hunt up another prcce-
dent before they c'n defeat Brownlow
for tn" nomination. The people Of the
First district are not going to nomi
nate nran according to evil omeps
aud s"rth4ayings, 1t will take more
than superstition to keep Brownlow
out OF Congress.
The STAR has never yet said who it
Was Tor IL this race, but, rs Brownl"w
| is in the lead and it has criticized his
methods, it is easy tn Sc" that the
Stuff is not for Brownlow It's defense
of the weak against the strong is to he
| admired from the standpoint OF phi
lsuthioyy, but there should be no
charity in politics. Merit should be re-
warded. A serious objection will be
raised to sending a man to Congress
because his weakness and ambition
are Of sufficient magnitude to excite
sympathy. II man is ahead why de-
feat him simply because some poor
devil is behind him? This seems to be
the only objection to Brownlow. Hes
ahead, and, therefore, ought to be cut
down. He is the strongest man. and,
therefore, ought to give way to the
weakest. He is the best equipped
man, and, therefore, ought to stand
aside and allow some fellow to go to
school and draw $4,000 a year salary
at the same time.
This Brownlow has 80 far refused to
do, and hence the bitter opposition to
him. His failure to go into the "sweet
charity" business has brought down
upon him the righteous indignation OF
the political philanthropists.
These little boys who are begging
and whining TO be allowed to make
the race and crying because it is too
cold now for them to get around TO all
the people would have the bellyache
from eating green apples il the con
vention Was put off till summer time.
We are opposed to sending a man to
Congress just because his ambition is
bigger than his ability, or because his
money has got the bulge on his judg.
ment
No honest-thinking man can blame
Brownlow for keeping the advantage
or holding the key to the situation.
The survival of the fittest is the oldest
law of nature, and it il foolishness to
struggle against it.
Those who are bowling "foul" at
Brownlow because he is following up
his advantage with Characteristic
promptitude should read the words ut
tered by the late defeated Charlie
Mitchell when he gracefully yielded
the sponge "It Corbett had not been a.
better man with his fists than | am |
would not have been in position to
be fOuled."