The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1906-11-22
Little All Makes Public Statement,
Special to the Courier.

OpCClhl bhO SOutAOks
Embreeville, Tenn, Nov. 17.-HOn.
A. A. Taylor, whose home is in this
picturesque valley, coursed by the
sparkling waters of the Nolachuckey
and walled on the east by the grandest
mountain chain in the southland, is
taking his defeat in the recent race for
congress philosophically and good.
naturedly.
He is free and frank in his ex pres
sions and does not hesitate to say to
what he attributes his defeat.
That the public may understand
just how he feels under the circum.
stances, he authorizes the following
statement
My defeat is as overwhelming as
the corruption fund raised to accom-.
plish it. Who could stand before sew
enty-fve thousand dollars Of Doodle,
welded by expert hands in every com
munity, in this age OF multitudes of
venal voters? This was the bOasted
sum, but whether, or not, it reached
this amount, or more. or less, the evil
dence is abundant on every hand, that
there was no lack of it, in any quarter.
There is consolation in the reflection
that my campaign has not been en-.
tirely fruitless. There are signs that
at least there has been an infusion of
some life into dead law. refer to
the law against vote-buying and sell
ing. If this righteous law can be en-
forced in single instance, out of the
several prosecutions already instituted,
and the law thus vindicated, our fight
for the overthrow of the monster po-
litical oligarchy with which this coun-
try is cursed, and for the restoration Of
the purity of the ballot box, will not
have been waged in vain.
Although we are defeated by very
large, but, nevertheless, purchased
majority, our cause still lives and ap-
peals, with more force than ever, to
every honest man, and especially to
the law-making power of the state.
The political charlatans and COR
puptionists are technically and tempo
rarily triumphant over us, but the
fight has just begun!
Let us hope that Governor Patter-
son and the Legislature will infuse full
life and yigor and strength into the
law referred to by the enactment OF
some additional provisions like the fol-
lowing, for instance: An amendment
extending to it the inquisitorial power
Of grand iuries and compelling judges
to give it in charge to grand inries;
another, making the instigator, man.
ager, collector, distributor of the fund
and the buyer of the votes the greater
felons than the voter who sells; still
another, granting the informer immun-
ity from prosecution and giving him
half of the fine of o thousand dollars,
the other half to go to the school fund.
If some such amendments as these
could be added to the law, the oecupa'
tion of the political mountebank and
corruptionist would soon be destroyed
in this state, and the ssnctity and
purity of the ballot box in the future
guaranteed, and the chance Of pool
man in politics, secured fer all time.
To my supporters-th noble bant
OF impartial mould who never faltel
and whose ballots are undefiled, let mi
express my deepest gratitude, and ad
dress to them a word of admonition:
Be not cast down by your defeat.
would rather have your position today
than the victors. Any honest maj
would. Honorable defeat is infnitel,
better than victory with shame. Th
white plume of knightly purity ant
valor that goes down in the battle shal
waive again, immaculate and unsullied
The Damascus blade of truth that fall
in the dust of conflict shall rise an
fash again, undimmed and incorrupt
able; it may be on other helmits aud i
other hands-but they shall rise-the!
were not made for the dust. The BLOOD
of battle, spilled from the veins o
righteousness, is the seed of the world
redemption which shall blossom an
bear fruit when the workers OF iniquit
shall rot in the grave of oblivion, III
honored and unsung. Truth may su
fer its Leipsic today, but it will hay
its Austerlitz tomorrow, and IN time
last conflict the armies of Satan sha
go down in ignominious overthrow
D the worlds last Waterloo!
Take not your defeat to heart ther
fore.
Turn your back to the night of 81
9 past, set your face to the morning
:; the future and your feet once more
Q the smooth, profitable aud delightfl
d paths Of peace. A. A. TAYLOR.
u A CARD.