The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1907-10-04
WHERE DUTY LEADS

Of criticism Of The Herald
mis- an because We took exception
10 the policy OF that paper In trying
to prescribe Democrats who did not
worship at the shrine Of our Temper
anee Reform Governor. The Tribune
makes the startling statement that
The Herald is bitter against every
thing and everybody" Now this VIII
he news TO those who know and have
for these many years known The Her
old To this charge we enter a plea
OF not guilty and demand trial before
a Jury OF those who know US best.
Because this paper has for years
in season and out, in sunshine ana
in adversely. mid the peans OF victory
and in the gloom Of defeat espoused
the cause OF decent government and
has always stood for honesty and NOR
atty in government. state, county ana
local and among public officials. It Is
accused of being bitter" II our
struggle of these many years for
decency In government and for
moral reform constitutes Dit
teruess," then we plead guilty. But
we deny that we have ever made a
fight because of bitterness or malice
toward any individual. We have mad
and do not have now any purpose
other than the advancement OF the
cause of good government.
In the struggle for better things u
Is true that it has been necessary lot
this paper to attack individuals put
when we have done so it was because
those individuals stood for and de-
Tended conditions that we're wrong
To the taunt that we have iost
some battles recently, we can reply
that although the road to victory mas
been steep and often uninviting' we
kent right on and now enjoy the sat
isfaction of knowing that many OF the
reforms for which We have 80 earnest
" contended all these years have at
last been written into the statutes
n our state. Only Saturday
last the Supreme Court sustained
a law for, which we we're battling when
temperance advocates were as scarce
at patterson men will be on the next
election day.
No Colonel Editor, we are not Dill
ter. we are not disgruntled; we are
too well satisfied with the record
which we have made and the victories
which have crowned our enorts "
improve conditions in our town. coun-
ty and state, to be in bad numor'
Although we have at times encoun-
tered the very fiercest sort OF opposi-
ton we have without the shadow OF
turning kept right on, sustained by
confidence in the righteousness OF our
cause.
This paper has no malice toward MI
patterson. 1t is wholly Indifferent 70
Mr. Patterson, the individual But MT
po+terson the Governor OF Tennessee,
is a legitimate subject OF critlcism.
II so happens that as public omciai
he stands for all those things Wnicn
we have for years condemned; ina.
he represents those corrupt ana
selfish interests which are at all
times ready to prostitute public once
for private gain. For these reasons
we would be recreant to the duty
which we owe the public and unworthy
tho confidence of those who nave sus-
tained Ms in the contests OF tne
mast II we did not oppose with all
the ability at our command, the re-
nomination OF Mr.. Patterson. He has
nroven himself to be unworthy the
trust reposed in him and we would DC
recreant to our trust as pubic
journal If we did not say SO. a news
noner that is entitled to the support
and respect of the people could not
do less.
For the information of the Tribune
which since its unnatural alliance
with Patterson appears ignorant OF
many things it ought to know, we VIII
state that this paper supported ra''
terson as the Democratic NOMINEES ias'
wear as a reference to its fiies VIII
show. We might remark in passing
that while Maury county gave Patter'
son an increased majority. although luz
democracy had been denied represen
tation in the state convention, the
majority which he received in Mar
shall county was much less than tne
average for that county
However, We do not concede tna'
the question Of who The Herald sup
ported in the last or any otner eieo
49, 20 nertinent to this dlScuSsloh