The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1908-05-08

| ME Two years ago2 An | not right
xhen I say that these we're the chief
,ssues upon which be sought his elee
IiOns
~(l) The direct primary.
~(2l The great political machine.
-f3l The abuse OF patronage 70 con-
trol the action Of the State Commit
st4J The enormous patronage in
I the hands OF the Governor.
"f5l The Governors control OF the
election machinery.
afel The entire abolition OF the
back tax deViltry.'
These were the issues upon which
ne challenged his Democratic oppOn-
emf and upon these very issues
summon him to the judgment bar Of
the people.
1.-The rule of the people'-that was
the keynote Of his campaign. The
rule of the machine-that has been
the keynote of his administration.
81 invite your attention to the
Memphis charter bill. | know that
honest men voted for that measure
out of a natural and not improper def
erence to the earnest appeals OF a
Democratic Governor. This bill was
the pet measure of the administra-
ton. To pass il his political lieuten-
ants we're gathered from every part
of Tennessee. His Republican friend,
MIR. Lafollette, came hurrying down
from his mountain principally to
lend il the weight of his support
and verify he had his reward.
81 can speak freely of this bill be-
cause il has passed under the unani-
nous judgment of the highest court
In Tennessee. Seventeen times it
violated the Constitution of Tonnes
see; three times it violated the Con-
stitution of the United States, and
then wept because there were no more
constitutions to violate.
1.-The Supreme Court declared that
this bill was an attempt to bestow
arbitrary power'-arbitrary tyranni-
cal, despotic power; that it was ut
terly repugnant to the principles OF
free government; that it clothed men
with enormous powers which could
be trusted to no body of men in a
country that pretended to be free.
1t was a bill to sweep out of Office
men elected by the people and to fill
their places, not with other men elect
ed by the people, but with the Cover
nor's own partisan appointees.
THE MEMPHIS RIPPER"
CHARTER BILL.
"One of the most amazing features
of this bill was that it repealed all
of the election laws of the State SO
far as the city of Memphis was con-
cerned, and provided that every cleo
ton from President and Governor
down should be held under such laws
as these five men might be pleased
to make, and they were also given
absolute control and management of
the election. 1t was a bill to sacri-
fee the fundamental rights of citizens
to the greed and hunger of the ma
chine. 1t clothed the Governors APP
pointees with arbitrary power SO as to
make the government a despotism; it
gave them power to perpetuate them
selves in Office forever so as to make
it a permanent despotism; and then
the Governor appointed his own
brother-in-law and his law partner,
so as to make it family despotism.
mot content with establishing his
machine over the city ITSELF the bill
all the powers of govern
nent, including the power of taxa
ion, over all the people within two
niles of the city limits. These peo-
Die were not taken into the corpora
were kept out so that they
could have no voice or vote to act
Is restraint upon their governors.
Yet these five appointees of Gov. Pat
erson were empowered to go out in
o the country districts and levy the
most burdensome and oppressive
axes upon the farmers of Shelby
county, not one dollar of which was
n 10 70 hafr h,,k
very dollar raked into the Golfers of
his Memphis machine to. be expended
ccording to it's will and for its pur-
oses alone.
SUPREME COURTS SWEEP
ING CONDEMNATION OF IT.
Not content even with that, it
1ade further grant of power over
II the people within ten miles of the
ity limits. The Supreme Court held
hat under this law, one man in the
ity of Memphis, without any legal
Tarrant or authority, without even an
rdinance from the city, might go ten
lilies into the country, declare any
hing he pleased a nuisance, and COM
ell a farmer, at his own expense, to
ear down his stable tear down his
arm, tear down his house, giving him
o compensation and no legal remedy
redress whatever. Under this law
a old woman out in the country could
OF have stable for her COW or
en- for her pig, without the approval
the brother-in-law and law partner
Gov. Patterson. Let me read you
le very language of the court
After these come the extraordinary
DIVISIONS which we have quoted,
n a.