The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1905-10-27
THE GOVERNORSHIP.


service IN exposing the record of GOV
ernor Cox. We do NOT believe that the
people of Tennessee, when they know
and fully understand Mr. Cox's record,
will want him TO; their Governor. We
do not believe they have ever wanted
him for their Governor
Governor Cox S record as back tax
collector, is that OF CRATER. We will
not go as far as MI. Patterson do 8
and accuse him of misfeasance or
malfeasance in office; hut that he
worked his office more for his private
emoument than for the public good,
there can be little doubt and that, with
little regard for the equities of the
case he demanded every where and at all
times his pound of flesh under the law,
the proof is overwhelming.
Besides, upon another important
matter, Gov. Cox's record is at utter
variance with the wishes of the pee
pie John l. Cox, since 1901, has
been the recognized political leader in
the State Senate, of the whiskey
forces. In his whiskey votes he has
been CONSISTENT to degree equalled by
few legislators and surpassed by none.
He was opposed to the Peeler bill in
1901, and in the Senate was the floor
leader of the whiskey cohorts who
fought it to its death Again in 1903,
when the Adams law was introduced,
by speech and vote, trick and scheme.
dilatory motion and amendment, John
I. Cox fought every inch of its pro-
gress. Every motion he made every
whiskey Senator voted for. II 1t was
q motion to amend. they all voted to
amend: if it was a motion to adjourn,
they all voted to adjourn. He was
their leader: the head and front of
their brigade. This Is the red record
John /. Cox made for himself in the
Senate OF Tennessee, and all the wat
ers of Neptune cannot wash iC out. 1t
would be strange indeed If the tenn
perance democrats of Tennessee should |
come to vote for any man WITH such a
record. We do not believe that even
the party lash could drive them to 1t.
On the other hand. what has Mr..
Patterson ever done to entitle him to
be Governor of Tennessee? Where was
he when Cox was making his record:
What is Mr.. Patterson's recordY Why
did he not tell us? Was he ever heard
to raise his voice in defense of or in
favor of the Peeler bill or the Adams
Law? How do we know but IL he had
been in the Senate he would have wed
with Mr.. Cox in championing the
cause OF the open saloon in Tennessee?
Certainly he had not the political
courage to declare for temperance at
that time, or even now, for that matter.
He does say tnat two years ago he de-
clared for the Hepburn. Deliver bill.
But we all know that 1t is cheap pc.
litical courage to declare for the Hep
burn Dolliver bill In Tennessee Bob
Taylor even has the temerlty to do
that But Mr.. Patterson puts it dis
tinctiy upon this ground: That whole
sale liquor dealers outside of the State
should not be allowed any advantage
over the wholesale liquor dealers in the
State In other words. his support of
the Hepburn Deliver bill was not in
the interest of temperance, or because
Of any sympathy he had or has for
temperance legislation, but simply and
solely to protect the wholesale liquor
dealers of Tennessee from any unfair
advantage by the Wholesale liquor
dealers outside OF Tennessee. Or In
other words, If it could be so arranged
that wholesale liquor dealers in Tonnes
see could ship their oisonous drugs into
towns where the law forblds the sale
OF liquor, Mr.. Patterson would vote for
that. So 1t seems. beth from what
Mr.. Patterson says, and from what he
does not say, that the temperance people
would make little If any gain by
swapping John I. Cox off for him.
As between Patterson and Cox, there /
seems to be little choice. Our private !
opinion, publicly expressed, is, that 9
the people of Tennessee do not want
either of them. MIR. Patterson speaks
sneeringly of 1.-The me chine and
small politicians running the State.
And there is moIe truth than poetry
in that-more's the pity. But we do ;
not see that he is offering us any big
ger timer or better timber than he
himself complains of.
1t must be PLAIN to the most casual
political observer. that the para neunt
issue in the state campaign in Tennes
see next year, Will be the Adams law.
If SO, why should the temperance
democrats not announce and support
the author of that law for the nomipa
tion of their partyY Mr.. Adams home
is in Lebanon. He is lawyer of dis
as.-.,.h.A ohiI;tv He ,s a DamOcrat