The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1907-11-28
and the democracy is hardly going to
abandon the timehonored convention
plan because one candidate got an over
dooa
The Political Game.

The average citizen is, of course,
interested in political matters, and
thinks that he ought to concern him
self in public affairs. This indeed is
the only way that he can use his intu-
ence in behalf of good government.
But he is peculiarly susceptible to the
wiles of the politician. The latter per-
suades him often that his own fortunes
are identical with the public interest,
and he shells out more money for poll
tics in day than he does for religion
in year. The political game is in
deed the national farce-comedy.
Perhaps in no way has this been
more Conclusively demonstrated than
tn the demand made by Mr.. Carmack
and his friends for primary, in the
gubernatorial race. So far as we are
concerned, we are not particularly in
terested in this question. We know
that the senatorial primary, insofar as
it referred to Shelby county, was the
rottenest thing of the sort ever pulled
off in this vicinity and we have not
been very favorably impressed with
a scheme that costs a great deal OF
money and that does not satisfy the
people. AS for the governors attitude,
we confess that we are in entire ignor-
ance of it.
Mr.. Carmack, however, has got into
the game and is demanding primary
and assuming that the governor does
not want a primary.
A slight review of political history
will show, however, that Mr.. Carmack
has been the most persistent foe that
the primary has ever had.
In 1895, when Carmack decided to
contest with Josiah Patterson for the
Congressional nomination, the congress
sional committee decided to call pri-
mary. Col. Hugh Petit, the chair
man of the committee proposed that
each candidate should have q judge
and clerk at each polling place. Car
mack was not satisfied. He insisted
on breaking up the executive commit.
tee, composed of FIVE men, and in
shutting contest over the Fayette
county committeeman. This contest
had been decided two years before.
Yet Carmack, with two Of the commit
teemen and the contestant, organized
q new committee and called a series Of
bobtail mass meetings in several wards
and districts and was nominated as 9
boiling democrat. We need not &c
into the details of the election that fol-
lowed. But that's the way CarmacA
began his political career, namely, as 9
bolter from the democratic primary.
Over two years ago the democratic
executive committee of Memphis, reg
ularly elected, called legalized pri
mary. The Malone Walsh combina
ton declined to go into the primary,
though offered one-half of the election
officers. Mr.. Carmack appeared be
fore mass meeting at the Lyceum
supporting the independent ticket AND
denouncing Haggerty, Deggs, Hartly
and Keene, every one of whom wat
supporting the same independent tick
ct that Oarmack favored.
In the recent municipal election the
democratic committee called a legalizeG
primary, We need not review what
happened then. The regular demo
cratic nominee was defeated and Mr.
Carmack'is now taking the triumph Of
the Independent as victory for him
self.
AS matter of fact, the ex-senator,
while supporting the primary plan, has
been most relentless foe of the pri
mary when it pleased him to do 80
And his chief journalistic coat-tai
bearer has seldom or never supported
the nominees of the democratic party
1t opposed the democratic nominee fol-
governor last year, and it has in
lvariably opposed the democratic nomi
nees for municipal offices.
1t strikes us that this is no time fol
Mr.. Carmack to be candidate for gov
erpor. There is no excuse for his can
didacy except that he wants the Office
land some of his political friends are
hungry. 1t is the irony of fate tina
he who has fought the primary more
viciously than any other politician il
the state should now be demanding {
primary and that he should have thu
support of a journalistic guerrilla tina
has fought the primary and the demo
cratic party more persistently than thu
most rabid republican paper in Tennes
see.
| The Commercial Appeal doesn't car,
what the state executive committe,
does, but it contends that that body i
under no obligations to give primar!
to the man who has never abided tn
result of a primary when it suited hin
not to do so, and who, il defeated in
primary, gives no assurance that b.
would not bolt again. Commercial
Appeal.
! Anent the GOvernOrShip.