The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1905-12-15
JOINT DISCUSSION.

challenge for joint debate, or a series
of joint discussions 10 the State, de-
cliued to consider the proposition, giving
reasons which ought to ba satisfactory to
every man who holds the interest of his
party above his own personal ambition
followed the invariable precedeDts of
hundred years in Tennessee; / was
guided BY the example of Harris, who
never looked into the eyes of mortal
man whom his heart feared; | was
guided by the example OF William B.
Bate, whose courage was never doubted
and whose body was full OF scars bear
ing evidence that he was not afraid to
face the foes OF mis- country and the
principles which he held sacred. l fol-
lied Democracy, for which 1 have been
craven by the red plumed knight of the
plains, whose height is six cubits and a
span and whose coat OF mail weighs
5000 shekels of brass.
my letter of declination was couched
In the most respectful terms without
shadow of bitterness, and | cannot &C
count for the biting response received
so full of unjust accusations, unless 1t
be that my former arraignmenr of the
conspiracy which defied tne will of the
people and gave the senior Senator two
seats in the Senate was blow upon his
helmet. cannot account for it unless
the lance aimed at the beneficiary of
that conspiracy pierced the joints of his
srmor. l do not charge that he had any
personal part in that conspiracy, but |
cannot escape the conviction that he
knew all about it, for his friends and
lieutenants were its chief managers aud
one word from him could have prevent
ed it and saved the State from shame.
Can it be that just at the very moment
when the mantle of leadership had fall.
en- upon his shoulders his closest friends
and advisers would shut him out from
the councils and conceal from him all
knowledge of an act which carried with
it such tremendous Importance to the
party of the State? And il he did
know what they were doing, his failure
to oppose it with all the might there
was ia him leaves him party to it.
And the man who was eiec.ed by that
conspiracy now goes before him bearing
a shield of brass.
ACCUSATIONS SENT BROADCAST
"But, after all this, and following at
the heels of that monumental outrage
up the popular will, the air is now vi
b rant with the boast Of the Sena or that
my refusal to meet him in joint discus
sion is not only confession of my COW
ardice and dwarfed powers of intellect,
but of his boldness and superiority.
Fellow citizens, believed the and be-
lieve now that the reasons gave for my
refusal to meet him were absolutely
but the personal impeach-
ments and accusations which have been
scattered in circulars from his head
quarters like the leaves of the forest into
every home in Tennessee: and which he
has published in his open letters, and
uttered in his eloquent speeches, con-
vince me that there are additional reae-
Ons which make joint discussion be-
tween US impossible; for no man who
holds his honor sacred is willing to de-
scend to such a plane. | have been in
public life for twenty five years, and |
have never yet reached the point where
| was willing to divide my time before
an audience of my fellow citizens with
any man to assail my honor and my in
tegrity, because | do not propose TO be a
D .rty to a scene which would disturb
me peace and harmony of Democracy.
RECORD OF his ADMINISTRA-
TONS.
1T is the pride of my life that my
,hree administrations did their part In
bringing the state out of threatened
and ruin, and planted It
On the rock of prosperity. You know
-ha trounles through which we have
1assed and the burdens which we have