The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1900-06-07
AN OPEN LETTER
TO GOV. M'MILLIN,
Hon. BENTON MoMILLIN,
Nashville, Tenn.
Dear Governor:

Dear Governor:
1t is one of the privileges of the
humble to give unasked advice and to
infict unvalued opinions upou the
great. 1t is one of the penalties Of
greatness to endure the infiction. II
may seem presumptious in me to ask
the attention of q man 80 distinguish
ed and so experienced in public affairs
as yourself, but sometimes the safest
counsel comes from one who is farthest
from the throne. Then, too, | speak
with the voice of the plain people, with
whom come in daily contact; and this
is voice which even the greatest fail
to heed at their peril,
While | have been among the hum
blest of those who have followed your
standard, you cannot doubt that l am
your sincere well-wisher and unselfish
friend. favor your appointment to
succeed the late Isham G. Harris. You
know with what zeal l worked for you
here in Williamson county in your con-
test with Hon. 7. B. Turley and Gov.
Robert l.. Taylor. hastened to your
standard, too, when you first sought
the nomination of governor of Tennes-
see; and, l may add, my decision moi
to support you for United States sena.
tor in this compaign, against all com
ers, was formed only after you had in
dicated a purpose not to seek thai
Office and that alone. No man would
rejoice more than for any honorable
success you might achieve; and no maj
would grieve more sincerely if, by {
single blunder, you should make ship
wreck of your fortunes. If | canno
now support you for the senate, it il
because your position has made it i'm
possible for me to do so consistently
with my duty to the state and to thu
democratic party. assure you tina
there are thousands in the state wht
feel the same way. l have had an hum
BILE part in your councils in the past
permit me to speak one more word, il
candor, but in kindness.
First, let me ask you to plainly de
fine your attitude toward the senatorial
campaign. In your Pulaski speecl
you declared that it had long been you
ambition to go to the senate, but yol
did not in express terms declare tina
you would be an active seeker of tn
office at this time. The people ant
your Office holders, however, seem t.
have so interpreted your declaration
and the latter have been, and are now
working with the energy of despera
tion to promote your election to tn
senate. have hoped, and still hope
that, upon reflection, you will disclair
any such purpose and announce you
intention to faithfully discharge tn
duties of the office for which you hav
been nominated by the democratic pal
ty, and to which, assuredly trust, yo
will be elected by the people of Ter
nessee. 1, therefore, put to you th
plain question: do you intend to prose
cute at the same time two campaigns
one for the Office for which you hav
recently been nominated by the demo
cratic party, and the other for an offiC
which you are seeking on your own az
count?
Before you decide this importar
question, permit me to ask you to col
slider, first, the obligations of your pc
sition, and second, the consequence
of your act. You are the nominee, I'll
chosen leader, of our party. AS sucl
should it not be your duty to heal ever
breach in its ranks, to cure all disrel
sions, to array the democrats of Tel
nessee in solid phalanx behind IL
party standard? All the power an
machinery which the democratic part
has placed in your hands should |
employed by you solely for the defe
of the common enemy. Surely, yc
7 should have no quarrel with democrat
no war to wage inside your own part
Should you not be in position to sa
! 81 am friend to every democrat al
every democrat should be my friend
As private in the ranks l have gat
: cred, from such observation as l ha'
had, this conception of the duty
y party leadership. Am l in error?
But what is the situation as it exis
today? Your Office holders and polit
cal lieutenants from one end of Il
state to the other, if / interpret cure
events correctly, are waging ferc
warfare against fellow democrats thi
/ they are against the republican part
> All the power of your Office is bell
4 employed in every county and legisl
. tive district to defeat the aspirations
J. true and loyal democrats simply b
cause they do not support you for SOL
other Office than that for which y
have been nominated by the democra
party. Let primary or conventi
be held tonominate candidates for t
Legislative, and your Office holders t
n to manipulate things in the interest
y one candidate and against anoth,
You are, though your official depe
dents, busily engaged in hitting den
cratic heads in nearly every neighbt
hood, and throwing the influence
your Office into every local contest
n n every county in the state. You W.