The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-05-22
From the washington Post.

K1N r. CARMACK'S retirement from
V1 the United States Senate next
March will cause a great deal
of genuine regret, not only among his
friends at home, but here in Washington
also, where he has made many sincere
well-wishers and admirers 1t does not
follow, however. that we need fall In
with the conspiracy of dlsparagement,
which. through various expedients, but
with persistent energy, seeks to persuade
us that the country has lost states
man and the Senate gained a clown.
The Post has already paid abundant
tribute to the ability, devotion, and high
character of Mr. Carmack, and this In a
spirit of the purest candor. We do not.
however, feel it incumbent on us to take
part in the insidious attack upon Mr..
Carmack's successor. which, under the
pretense of exploiting his gifts as wit,
a raconteur, and fiddler, would leave us
under tho impression that he is nothing
more than an attractive combination of
pothouse hero and vaudeville star. There
is material On Mr.. Taylor's record for a
very complete refutation of this infer
ence He served term In Congress some
years ago, he has been three times gov
ernor of his state, and the now establish
ed fact that he holds the esteem. the
confidence, and the affection of the great
body of his fellow-citizens sufficiently
proves either that he is very much more
than a versatile farceur or that the cleo
tors of Tennessee do not know the differ
ence between tribune and harlequin.
This kind of gable, of which, by the
way. we have heard a great deal too
much within the past few days, is not
only foolish and mischievous in itself, 1t
is extravagantly unjust both to Mr.. Tay-
lor and to Mr.. Carmack. Those who know
the two men we'll, either through actual
contact or by intelligent observation of
their public and private lives, are, of
course, aware that the implication at the
ex-governor's expense is as unwar-
ranted as the inference that it has been
inspired, or at least winked at, by his
unsuccessful competitor. The truth is,
both of them are far and away above
the undeserved suspicious which may at
tach to them respectively in consequence
of this malignant gossip. They are gentle
men of fine ideas and principles, though.
as it happens. of different standards and
proclivities. Mr.. Carmack takes the world
seriously Mr.. Taylor thinks it the first
duty of man to see everything, that is
pleasant or susceptible of conversion to
innocent and kindly merrment, thereby
reducing tragedy and care to the utmost
possible minimum. But in all this there
is no ground for dsparagement OF either.
1t would be as absurd to argue that Mr..
Carmack Is potent merely because he Is
intense and fiery as to ASSUME that Mr..
Taylor is an imbecile because he would
rather laugh than scowl and dmprecate.
The truth is that the world Is too much
given to taking 1t for granted that bright
eyes, a sunny disposition, and the gift of
extracting happiness from life are neces-
sary evidences of unfitness for strenuous
emergency and serious responsibility. 1t
has come to be the habit OF the majority
to accept silence. solemnty, and reserve
as the only valid certificates of greatness.
Thousands of men have made themselves
eminent and illustrious by the simple
process of sitting still and looking wise.
You can never be sure that one Is stupid
unless he talks. and humanity. always
leaning to kindness, gives the silent man
the benefit of the doubt. Naturally. the
ignoramus and the careful ass refrain
from talking. Nobody blames them for it.
but occasionally, If not oftener. somebody
wishes things were otherwise. The his
tory of the country, carefully considered,
does not justify the assumption that
merry and hght-hearted persons are al
ways inefficient. John Paul Jones was