The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1905-09-15

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other counties should follow with
premature and snap primary, ac-
ton it is clear that the entire State
would soon be involved in wran-
gle.
at is charged that Governor
Taylorinspired the. Benton County
action. IL so, he may for similar
reasons induce other counties to
act with the inevitable results Of
defeating q State primary. 1t Is
obvious that such effort on thepart
of Governor Taylor with any de-
gree of success would allow him to
escape the ordeal of a joint debate
with Senator Carmack and would
make general State primary all
but impossible"
Now, as a matter of fact, Benton
County did not take action until
Senator Carmack positively re-
fused to consider Governor Tay-
lor's proposition for a mid-winter
primary. Senator Carmack in
sisted on State primary at the
November, 1906, election. This
would mean fifteen months of bit
terness-the very thing all con-
sentative Democrats were anxious
to avoid.
This settled the matter, for it
was realized that the State COM
mittee would take no action un-
favorable to the wishes of Senator
Carmack. The Democracy of old
Benton decided it was time to act,
and ample time-six weeks-was
given the people to ascertain their
choice for Senator.
Governor Taylor was willing to
submit his claims to a State pri-
mary, but he would not engage in
wrangle concerning dates and
terms for holding the proposed
primary.
1t had been hoped that the Sen
atorial question would be settled
and removed from the entangle-
ments of the gubernatorial and
legislative contests next year in
order to avoid repetition of the
demoralizing effects created in the
early days of the Bate-M cMillin
campaign last year.
Conservative Democrats realiz-
ed that such confusion of interests
should be avoided. The oppor-
tunity of politicians to trade and
trick each other should be avoided.
The Tennessee Democracy should
be given an opportunity to nomi-
nate the best man forgovernor and
to nominate the best men for the
legislature. We agree with the
Knoxville Sentinel. 1t says:
"The weakest legislature for
many years was that whose men,
bers slipped in on the wave of the
hurrah for venerable SenatorBate.
In nearly every county of theState
the question was not the qualifica-
ton of a candidate for the legisla-
ture, but whom he favored for SEN
ator Don't let's repeat that mis-
take.
Son general principles a prima-
ry election for Senator is to be pre-
ferred. If one is ordered itshould
be held at a time when the Demo-
cratic voter will express his pre-
ference for Carmack or Taylor
with no other consideration than
the choice of one of these gentle
men. 1t has been argued that if
the primary is held in connection
with the November election a
larger vote will be brought ont.
tits ouropinion that fifteen months
of senatorial contest bitterness will
be very weakening. Without re-
gard to the interest of either can
didate it would seem that spring
primary for Senator and summer
convention for governor would be
the best for the party. Separate
the two contests by at least three
months and they will not confuse
each other
"Part of the joint debate meet
ings could occur before Congress
IL L l.