The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1907-01-10
PARRERS0N AMBITIOUS
To Go TO the United States Senate Is the
Opinion of Knoxville Correspondent.

To GO to the United States Senate Is the
Opinion of Knoxville Correspondent.
The Knoxville correspondent of the
Chattanooga Times expresses the opin-
ion that it is the ambition of Gov. elect
Patterson to go to the United States
senate. The latter contains a number
OF complimentary statements about
Gen. Patterson, concluding with the
assertion that be sought the governor
ship as stepping stone to bis real am
bition, a seat in the upper house of
congress. The letter in part follows;
"There is a much more restful feel
ing permeating the mind of the masses
in regard to Mr.. Patterson's election
than existed even month ago, 1t is
fully realized that he will go into the
office of governor with the mental
equipment of the best of his predecess-
ors, and there is growing faith that
be will prepare himself for the duties
aud prove equal to the emergencies as
they arise. Heis indebted to his won
derful convass for this faith
AS Jhey look back over his long,
hard struggle for the nomination and
election, after being nominated, he is
the beneficiary of more or less sincere
sympathy, His opponents in the par
ty oyerdid the thing. Their opposi-
tion took the color of persecution.
This moral temperance wave that is
sweeping over the state is not so deep
rooted-not so charged with spiritul
energy that it may not be overdone and
may not lose some Of its power.
"But | stalted out to say that Mr..
Patterson, as governor, will not at
tempt to use big stick with the legis.
lature on these temperance questions,
but will endeavor to carry out the
wishes of the people, l am satisfied
that he will veto no bill abolishing OF
curtailing the saloon power, but very
much question whether he will recon.
mend anything of the kind in his mes.
sage. He draws the line between sa
looms and prohibition He does not
believe the latter to be practical until
the masses are lifted upon higher
plane than the one they occupy today
The whisky question with him is MOI
unlike that of suffrage. Some mer
ought not to vote and some ought no
to drink. But it's not question O
color, but of self-control.
"Goy. Cox has, like Mr.. Patterson
risen in the estimation of the public
He is not so bold as the governor -elec
but is better practical business man
One is trained lawyer, the other
commercially trained politician. l
Gov. Cox had any idea that he woult
be promoted to governor at the tim
Jim Harris and his followers were il
the saddle he never would have beel
defeated, because he would have care
fully avoided the coral reefs that wreck
ed his argosy. Cox's emery aud INTEL
igence in looking after the business in
terests of the state has made him man,
: friends.
"Mr. Patterson will, as governor
scrupulously bserve all the prophetic
of polite political society and seek t
merit the confidence reposed in him
He will be much stronger two year
. from now than he is today. II any on
labors under the impression that he j
going to be satisfied with his presen
preferment, they do not know th
man. The height of his fathers ambi
tion was to succerd Mr.. Harris in th
senate. To crafty this ambition b
canvassed the state by the advice {
Senator Harris for governor. His so
has reached the goal to which his fs
ther aspired as a stepping stone to tn
senate, and will not be satisfied unit
he goes higher He has sense enoug
to know that he must earn the plaudit
of well done from the people, and
confidently predict that he will make
popular and efficient governor.
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