The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1906-05-24
TAYLOR OF TENNESSEE,
He Reduces Care and Tragedy to the Ut
most Possible Minimum.


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, how
ever, that we need fall in with the con-
spiracy of disparageme which,
through various expedients, but with
persistent energy, seeks TO persuade us
that the country has lost statesman
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
spirit of the purest candor. We do
not, however, feel it incumbent on us
to take part in the insidious attack up
on Mr. Carmack's successor, which, un-
der the pretense of exploiting his gifts
as a wit, a raconteur, and fiddler,
would leave us under the impression
that he is nothing more than an attrac-
tive combination of pothouse hero and
vaudeville star. There is material IN
Mr.. Taylor's record for a very complete
-Fefutation of this inference. He served
a term in congress some years ago, he
has been three times governor OF his
state, and the now established fact that
he holds the esteem, the confidence and
the affection of the great body of his
fellow citizens sufficiently proves eth
er that he is very much more than
versetile farceur or that the electors of
Tennessee do not know the difference
between tribune and harlequin.
This kind of gabble, Of which, by the
way, we have heard great deal too
much within the past few days, is not
only foolish and mischievous in itself,
it is extravagantly unjust both to Mr..
Taylor 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 i'm
plication at the ex governors expense
is as unwarranted 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 the undeserved suspicious
which may attach to them respectively
in consequence of this malignant Cos
sip. They are gentlemen 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 merriment, thereby reduc-
ing tragedy and care to the utmost pos
sible minimum. But in all this there
is no ground for disparagement of eth
er. It 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
imprecate.
The truth is that the world is too
much given to taking it for granted
that bright eyes, sunny disposition,
and the gift of extracting happiness
from life are necessary evidences of un-
fitness for strenuous emergency and
serious responsibility. 1t has come to
be the habit of the majority to accept
silence, solemnity, and reserve as the
only valid certificates of greatness
Thousands of men have made them
selves eminent and ilustrious by the
process of sitting still and looking wise.
You can never be sure that one is stu
pid unless he talks, and humanity, al
ways leaning to kindness, gives the
silent man the benefit of the doubt.
Naturally, the ignoramous and the
careful ass refrain from talking. No
body blames them for it, but occasion
ally, if not oftener, somebody wishes
things were otherwise. The history o.
the country, carefully considered, doe'
not Justify the assumption that merry
aud light-hearted persons are Away
inefficient. John Paul Jones was {
wit, story-teller, famed alike in thi
country and in Europe. Abraham Lin
coin, the central figure of the most co
lossal tragedy of modern times, pos
sessed and practiced shrewd, delight
full humor which Illuminated the dark
est hour of our national peril. S. S
Cox, one of the brightest aud mos
capable men ever sent to congress b
3 the democratic, or any other party, wa
a wit par excellence, and as genial an
sympathetic and kind hearted as if h
had been fool.
We might extend the catalogue indei
b initely, but see no reason fer it. Wht
we set out to say, or, rather to sugges
is that it will not do to regard ex.Go1
Taylor as an incompetent because b
happens to be ornamental, and, inc
dentally, to propose the sentiment thu
Senator Carmack is much too big an
O generous a man to take part in can
!, paign of mere detraction. Washingto
Post.
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