The times., 1898-01-17
HOW DID PATTERSON VOTE?
A Question That Enlivens EIec-
tion Committee Proceedings.
POINTED QUERIES PRESENTED
General MISUNDERSTANDING as to
what Parti. uIar Ground the Con-
testam for Carmack's Seat Took
in the Last Presidential CAM
paign.

An interesting and amusing question
has been raised here in the Patterson
Carmack contest. That question is:
How did Josiah vote in the Presiden-
tial contest of 1896? Did he vote for
Bryan, Palmer or Mckinley
In Tennessee it is we'll known that
in his race with Carmack Patterson
announced himself to be a supporter
OF Bryan, and claimed to be the regu-
lar Democratic nominee. A good many
Democrats did indeed question his sin
cerity. but his public position as an
nounced by himself, placed him among
the Bryan supporters. But here in
Washington Col Patterson has been
trying TO amend his record in this re-
spect, and he has declared to number
OF people that he voted against him
whether for Palmer or Mckinley he
did not say.
Now the question is. How did Pat
terson vote? 1t will be remembered
that some time ago the Louisville
Courier-Journal published an interview
with Mr.. Patterson. in which it classed
him as a Palmer and Buckner support
Ell. This created a great deal of COM
ment in Patterson's district, where, as
everybody knew, he professed to be
supporter of Bryan. This brought from
Col. Patterson public statement. pub
lshed in the Courier-Journal and the
Memphis papers, in which he declared
that be did not vote for Palmer and
Buckner. but had voted for Bryan and
Sewan. And Vet Col. Patterson had
succeeded in creating the impression
almost universally on the Republican
side that in the last campaign he was
- hold nj ,af-tS nf n
Bryan.
The question of Col Patterson's atti-
tude in the last campaign was brought
sharply to an issue by an indiscretion
of his counsel in the discussion before
the election committee. Gen. Dudley.
of counsel for Mr.. Carmacl5. described
Col. Patterson as a pretended gold
man, who voted for Bryan"
Col. Patterson, who was present in
person before the committee. knew
that every Republican member believed
him to have been supporter ofMcKin-
ley, or at least of his decoy duck, Palm
er. and when the statement was made
his face flushed q deep and fiery red.
His counsel, Mr.. Riddick. instantly
sprang to his feet and shouted in an
angry voice, There's no proof in the
record that Col. Patterson voted for
Bryan
lGii OIfGlA lilf 2iipSA oi ci'i<ANfN III
cident of the debate Turning abrupt
ly on Col. Patterson, who sat before
him. Gen. Dudley thundered back:
Il will settle that question right now.
i challenge Col. Patterson himself TO
answer Did you not vote for Bryan?"
Dudley paused for what seemed
full minute. while. in the deathllke'
stiffness of the committee room one
could almost hear the blood rushing
ayfa-pt11ifies a
his face. He gasped. stammered, and
then sank back into his seat He did
not have the courage to either deny or
affirm it. As Col. Patterson has placed
himself on record as a supporter OF
Bryan. it is a little surprising that
he should attempt the game of sup
pressing the fact that he voted Tor
Bryan and Of deceiving the Republic
an members as to his attitude IN the
late campaign.
The other day a leading Republican
from Iowa expressed his incredulity
when told that Patterson voted for
BRYAN. Why said he, Patterson
came into our State and made speeches
eli over Iowa for the Republican
ticket" That is some more history Pat
terson has been trying to conceal from
his people at home 1t will be remem-
bered that just after his tour in Iowa,
some Oh llE DHliaOAt cAIANs III " St'aAG -
charged that he had been making Re
publican speeches in that State.
The newspapers in Memphis, which
had supported him for Congress,
promoted. no doubt. by himself, de-
nounced the statement as q slanderous
falsehood and declared that in all his
speeches in Iowa he had vigorously as
sailed the Republican party and de-
uounced the twin heresies of protection
and free silver as equally odious and
infamous.
1t is a little curious that none of the
Republican congressman from Iowa
has any recollection of these terrible
nhilipics against McKinleyism. for
which Col Patterson gave himself
credit in the Memphis newspapers.
AT home Col. Patterson holds himself
out as a sworn foe to RepuDIican-
ism and is very sensitive to any sug-
gestion that he is in sympathy with the
Republican party. IT was to meet the
criticisms of some of the Democratic
press that he wrote the arraignment of
the Republican party in the address OF
the gold standard club at Nashville, de-
cIaring that its continuance in power
meant the imDoverishment of. the peo-
ple. the rule of an intolerable plutocracy
and the destruction of American lib
erty. but in Washington Col. Patter-
son desires to be considered as being
10 all intents and purposes Repubii-
can, at least until this contest is de-
Cided.