The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1896-11-13
The Silver Lining of Defeat.

The gloom of defeat in which the
star of Democracy is for time OBJ
scured is not without some measure
of compensation. In spite of adj
verse winds and Earring elements,
there is still comfort in the old adage
that "every cloud has it's silver lin
ing.n Amid the general wreck of
political hopes that waited upon the
election of Mr.. Bryan only to be
consumed in patriotic lump, two
of the most intense and ardent de-
sires of the free coinage advocates
of this section have been fully real
lied. One of these is the wiping up
of Hon. Josiah Patterson by Colonel
E. w. Carmack, in the tenth district
of Tennessee, and the other the de-
feat of that tainted politician,
Colonel w. G. P. Breckenridge, in
the seventh district of Kentucky.
With the stigma of rebuke
fastened upon these two illustrious
examples of demagogism and mug
wumpery, the Democracy can afford
to accept the result with serene
composure, feeling that all is not
lost.
Hon. Josiah Patterson has not only
made fight against the organized
democracy in his district, but he has
conducted such bitter campaign
for reelection as to make his name
offensive to all true and loyal Demo
Gratis. In opposing Colonel Il. w.
Carmack, he employed his utmo t
zeal and influence to defeat one of
nd mi ~ IN
Democrats of Tennessee. In league
with the Republicans and boilers of
the district, he sought to retain his
seat in Congress by making some
thing of national display of him
self on the political hastings.
Next to the pleasure occasioned by
this involuntary retirement of Hon.
Josiah Patterson is the agreeable
satisfaction which comes with the
announcement that Colonel w. c..
P. Breckenridge, of Kentucky, has
been defeated. There was a time
when Colonel Breckenridge was the
idol of Kentucky Democrats. His
name was platform in itself, while
the ring of his eloquent voice had
power to summon a greater host to
his standard than the horn of
Roderick Dhu. Since that remote
time, however, the star of Colonel
Breckenridge has set and the record
of his public service is buta memory
of the past, to be followed by no
sequel in the future.
Spurned by the self respecting
democrats of his district, Colonel
Breckinridge,i in nursing his political
aspirations, had no choice but to at
filiate with republicans and outcasts
who received him into their ranks
merely because he had been rejected
by the opposition. Eagerly accept
ing the republican Endorsement in
his district, he deliberately made
war against the party whose prin-
ciples he had besmirched by his un-
seemly conduct in the past, and
whose fair name be had dishonored
with his own. 1t was better that he
should thus assume toward her the
attitude of a foe than without re-
morse endeavor to wrest from her
hands the honor of seat in Con-
gress. Such men as Colonel Brock
inridge are less dangerous as foes
than as champions, and the Demo-
cratic party of Kentucky has nc
fault to find with him for raising the
standard of revolt. In the over.
whelming defeat of last Tuesday
! Democrats and Republicans were
both made the instruments of heav-
en- in sealing the fate of Colonel
Breckenridge. 1t is doubtful if his
political ambition ever takes wing
again.
1t is, therefore, evident that all is
not lost to the Democratic party
since Hon. Josiah Patterson and
Colonel w. G. P. Breckenridge have
been so openly rebuked.-Atlants
Constitution.