The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1908-05-28
COntemptible Criticism.

A few days ago, Gov. Patterson ap-
pointed Spared Hill, prominent at
torney of Trenton, Special Supreme
Judge, in place of Chief Justice Beard,
who was incompetent in an important
case coming before the court. Mr.. Hill
is a gentleman, an able attorney, a
loyal fighting Democrat, aud a devoted
friend of the Governors, and yet, in
spite of all these things, this appoint
ment, like every other action of Pat
terson's, provoked a TRADE Of insane
criticism, from the Memphis News
Scimitar Here is its rawlings on the
subject
"The Governor of Tennessee has the
courage of his friendships. He has ap-
pointed as acting Chief Justice of the
Supreme Court of Tennessee his loyal
and steadfast supporter, Hon. Spill Hill
of Trenton. The Hon. Spill is typical
Hamappointment. He has been pol
itician of politicians. AS public man
he has been, as the Scanty Creek News
declared, as crooked as 40 cents worth
of shoe strings in q cyclone. He was
the author and the guiding spirit of the
county unit bogus primary plan. 1t was
he who two years ago put through
Gibson County delegation for Patter-
son, after having practlced the grosser
deception upon the unsuspecting fol-
lowers of Judge John Il, Bond. 10
him more than to any other one lndl-
yidual, Ham owed his nomination. 1t
was he stood by Ham agencies during
| all the dark days of the long protracted
campaign. He burrowed in the dirt
and dug out a set of political methods
which Tennessee politics has never
Y known. His was the brain that ma
Q nipulated the "coniure bag" during
q the 1906 contest. He was one OF the
! committee which brought order out ot
i the mob conventions chaos by naming
d as it's compromise Chairman Corpora
8 ton Attorney James @. Bradford. Ii
i. is declared that he was responsible fol
:. the Ham conference with the railroad
u Presidents. II is he who in this cam
q paign is the recognized authority OF
V wavs and means for Hams perpetua
q ton. Whatever is needed, Hon. Spi
may be relied upon to recommend 1t
" He looks the part too-that is the par
'e of a subterreanean adviser to machln
N administration, not the part OF Chic
Io Justice of the Supreme Court of Ten
nessee. Yet if either member OF tn
10 court from West Tennessee should di
I'd or resign, Hon. Spill would probabl
le be named for permanent successor b
his ward, the governor.
as The appointment Of Mr.. Hill, Will
IS doubtless very agreeable to the COVE
Id nor, was predicated primarily upo
a. the following letter from Chief Justit
Sc Beard;
OF Jackson, May 9, 1908 Gov. Malcoll
i'll r. Patterson, Nashville, Tenn.-M
"a Dear Governor: In the case of +.
~ Plummer ct al VS.. Charles Trogli
nu Shelby Chaucery docket, pending
I'D this court and for trial at this term,
il" am incompetent.
The counsel 10 the cause asked tt
appointment of some one to sit in N
WI place The matter has been submittt
lie. to the members of the court, and tht
lid express wish that you should issue
ov commission to the Hon. Spared Hi
of Trenton, Tenn, lawyer OF abili
al' and man with whom they believe
~. would be a pleasure to be associated.
he Your action in this matter at as ear
+o date as possible and IN consonan
with what has been suggested will
NE greatly appreciated. Yours truly,
er W. d. BEARD.
5he In view Of the above recommend
Ine tion of the supreme court and reque
: of the Chief Justice, what does a q
cent man think of such crazy criticism
Now this is fair sample of the dir
1af assaults that this same sheet has ma
% Us repeated y on Palmer, Lamb, Hend'
| of son and Bell, and on the governor
ted appointing them judges.
us Had Gov. Patterson refused to t
= low the request Qt6the supreme col
in tbis~ hstsnne. the News-Scimi
hat gbdtd aqbHbtepShSve held him
e " to lbs scorFpShe state for conten
1@yf ~ thskahydst tribunal. 1t is simpl
) Of ,eaAe6f "be damned il you do or
ingEf damned if you don't. Nasty
American.