The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1908-02-28

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direct primary. at the request o
Gov. Patterson.
This sally was greeted BY LOUD
cheering BY the friends Of Gov. Pat
terson.
Mr.. Armistead replied that be would
answer the gentleman in good time
Whereupon be was greeted with cries
OF Answer it nOW!"
Mr. Armistead proceeded 70 recite
events in the senatorial and guberna-
torial contests OF 1906 to try TO prove
that Gov. Patterson did not nor did
any Of his friends on the committee,
make an effort to get q direct primary
before the state committee when he
asked for it. He said the governors
letter was read and laid down and that
his friends on the committee never
tried to bring it up.
He asked the committeeman IL they
honestly thought down in their hearts
that the plan they we're seeking to ram
down the threats Of the people was
what the 5000 democratic county com
mitteemen in the state and los demo
cratic newspapers in the state were
loud applause.)
He argued at length and showed
that candidate might poll majority
of the democratic votes in the state
and at the same time be cheated out
of the nomination for governor.
Mr.. Armistead's speech was master
~ and unanswerable and TO commit
tee that might be appealed to and
with 1t would have had eff
feet, but he might as well have been
upon the seashore and COM
the angry tide not come in.
Bancroft Murray sat stolidly on the
platform by the side Of Chairman
Morrow, looking Mr. Armistead in the
lace and playing with his watch chain.
Mr.. Armistead singled out each
of the committee and APP
,ealed to them if they thought the
oeople of their districts would be
pleased.
81 now come to the old Sixth dis
riot. the home OF the hero of the Her
nitage. where the distinguished chair.
nan of this committee 1ives-this his
ORIG old district, where Of all places
N earth the ark of the covenant Of
faith would be kept. l
SIX the chairmon of this committee
he thinks when he goes home to-
light after passing this plan, that he
as done what the people Of is dis
-ict want?" (Applause.)
He declared the proposition Of the
was a political her
Iaphrodite,p that though 1t seemed
, be clad in honest habiliments, it's
sxless voice betrayed its origin.
But, thank God" he declared. "it win
ave no posterity." He said II would
, defeated in the hour of its birth;
lat it would be repudiated by the
sople, and that certain destruction
ould await those responsible for it.
He declared that every state In the
nth had adopted a primary. The
publican state OF Illinois had just =
ssed compulsory primary law; the =
w Oklahoma constitution, which =
r. Bryan said was the best ever
amed, contains a mandatory pri- :
ary law.
He closed by appealing eloquently :
. fair and direct vote of the peo- y
He was given an ovation when he y
ished, the cheering being deafening
d lasting several minutes.
When he had concluded Bancroft
fray took the floor, and made
eff but stentorian appeal for the =,
gus primary.
Mr. Murray began by saying: "If
were here representing ourselves,
might act differently; Geers) but
are here as commissioners of the or
nocratic party which created us and IN
med our powers. cloud applause hi
N Patterson's friends and derislve ad
ers from Carmack menu They
e expressly laid down our work m,
would feel unworthy Of the con- an
nee of the people II violated their or,
(Derisive yells from ms
Carmack people) nal
II. Murray then proceeded to quote thu
q the resolutions Of the last state an,
vention, arguing that 1t command
he committee to call a convention. vol
would be treason for us to call q del
nary" he said. LET US do what Ca
people want US TO do" hal
e closed by moving TO table Mr.. vol
substitute, and demanded co,