The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1906-03-15
CARMACK AT JONESBORO.

everything that Gov. Taylor has sale
aud done since 1898, with the speakers
own distorted Interpretation Of the
same.
listened in vain for the epunciation
of the cardinal principles of democracy.
On the contrary, the staple OF the
speech was personal attack, absurd rid.
icule and biting sarcasm.
The crowd was small and irresponsi.
BILE. Perhaps half dozen men fur
nished the applause by clapping their
hands, and they clapped every time
giant paused.
Probably the senator had twenty
votes in the audience. but not more
than twelve could be counted. 1t ia
absolutely certain that if he made q
single convert, that individual was a
dead easy job. In fact, he was in the
condition of the billy goat--already
voted.
With more than usual sarcasm the
giant referred to TayIor's small plural
ity in 1896. The apostle of truth actu-
ally suppressed the fact that the popu-
lists had candidate for governor that
year who drew several thousand votes
from the democratic ranks. But the
half dozen vigorously applauded-they
did not know any better.
II the senator was an ordinary man
We would put this question to him ::
Who is the accomplished liar, the man
who makes the lie-body, soul and
breeches-or the man who purposely
suppresses part of the truth, when
that part would change the face of the
part let out ? But the senator has a
brilliant intellect; he is not an ordinary
man. We therefore revei emily with
hold the question.
There is one thing the Tennessee
democracy did not dare try in 1896, and
that one thing was, to nominate tor
governor certain gentleman whose
editorials had an odor of sulphur when
populism was the theme. Had this
been tried, it is safe to say no candi-
date for senator today would have the
pleasure of ridiculing plurality, small
or otherwise.
Although an old trick, the senator
shows his hand at constructing a man
Of straw. He says that Taylor parti-
san-one Of those biting dogs-predicts
the giants defeat because it has been
80 ordered by the saloons Of the state.
Then in dramatic way and with many
words he proceeds to demolish that
man of straw. 1t is rather hard to be-
leve this story, but is not the "giant
)f the plains" an apostle of truth ?
| Admitting it to be true, what does it
prove -? That Gov. Taylor has at least
one fool friend, and Senator Oarmack
does not shed tears over the fact.
The senator, "away back yonder, "
before anybody else thought about it,
opposed the saloons. He is the original
temperance man of the state. The won
der is that the saloons have stood up
so long before his hostile batteries.
True, eighteen years ago he opposed
the prohibition amendment because he
could not tolerate the introduction Of
'penal police legislation" into the or
ganic law. That was bad place to
put it, Is it possible that the saloons
in 1887 were lined up behind our peer.
less temperance leader? He was moi
in mortal combat with them then, MOI
had he threatened to float them down
the Missippi to reduce their caloric.
"The consecrated men and women oi
Tennessee" will remember that every
time this knight of temperance opened
his mouth to proclaim the dangers o.
"penal police legislation" in the con
stitution, all the saloonists in the statt
held family reunion. Gov. Taylor
should have vetoed the amendment
proposition. Why? Penal police leg
islation where it will do wrong. Ther
that champagne banquet at Chattanoo
ga would have remained in Oblivion
aud Senator Carmack's temperance rec
ord would not need so much white
wash.
OF course, it is mere presumption tt
to ask this vaunted captain of temper
ance why he did not endeavor to enac
in statute, while a member of the stat
legislature, his own peculiar notions o
"penal police legislation" on the liquo
question? He had the opportunity an,
plenty of time. 1t is not recorded tina
he did anything for the general goo
of his state while a member of tina
body.
The fact is, this "penal police legis
lation" business sounds like a ghos
story. 1t looks like the spepious eT
cuse of desperate man. 1t is a littl
bit hard to swallow the story and re
main comfortable, but coming fror
the lips of the lifelong and deadly en-
emy of whiskey it will have to be done
The senator spends much labor an
! rhetoric to make capital out of the VII
hanson incident. Did the senate
suppress test vote in the matter i
which the majority was only two?
l so, it would be proper in this connet
] tion to ask the senator, were he an ord
: nary man, if suppressing part of th
: truth is his natural gaitP But the sci