The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1908-04-09
APPEAL TO REASON
Why Governor Patterson Should Be Renom,
mated
PATTERSON VS. CARMACK

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the people elected him governor all the
same. Why turn Patterson out of office
when he did just like his predecessors
in office did? He is no worse than they
in this respect. Yes, but he committed
The death sentence OF Lee Holder and |
that should damn him in the eyes of a
few. Do you know the struggle the
governor had in trying to decide what
he should do in the matter of that COM
mutation? | guess not, but l do, for
he related it to me. Now if there is
man in Obion county so narrow, SO
small, so contracted as to vote against
the governor on this account, then this
letter is not for him and he need not
waste his time to read it. I helped to
prosecute Lee Holder and did it with
all my skill and ability and fatter my
self that I was, to some extent, instru.
mental in having the death sentence
passed on him. | never asked the gov
ernor, verbally or otherwise, to COM
mute this sentence and often refused
to do so, but when it was done was
glad in my heart that it was done, and
l rejoice now that Lee Holders GEN.
tence was committed and I applaud the
governor for his manly act in doing so,
even If it should lose him few votes
in this county. l am sure it is not gen.
orally known in this section of this
state, but it is fact that letters, teles
grams and petitions came to the gov
ernor from all parts OF the state asking
him to commute that sentence. Not
only that, but delegations and many
individuals in and out of Nashville
went in person and sought that boys
commutation, and much can be said in
his favor for yielding to their prayers
for mercy to this young criminal. Ger
tainly no intelligent merciful man is
going to vote against the governor be-
cause he yielded to these prayers for
mercy to this unfortunate young boy.
Is not Patterson the equal in all re-
spects OF his competitor? The best
judges in the state say he is. AS a
statesman he is Carmack's equal in all
respects, and as popular stump speak
er nearly everyone says he is Carmack's q
superior. AS moral, temperate man,
Patterson is as good as Carmack, the
latter having no advantage of him in
this respect. Much has been said about
Patterson's moral habits, and I assert
that just as much can be truthfully said
about Carmack's moral habits. Neither
of them is a saint, though Patterson is
as near one as his competitor. So, as
respects the moral habits Of these two
men, the one has no advantage over the
other, the only difference being that
Patterson makes no pretentions to be U
saint, while some of the friends OF Gar.
mack claims he 10. Patterson was can
didate two years ago and his habits were
aired and discussed all over this state.
Many good christian people, preachers
included, voted for him then with full
knowledge of his character and habits
Some of these good people and few o.
the preachers are against him in thil
campaign. Why is this so? What ha
he done to cause them to change? Yo,
can not pick flaw in his private lif,
since he became governor; il SO, wha
is 1t? And il not, what has wrough
this change in these good people? l
J is not his record as governor that ha
caused it, for he has done all he prom
J ised the people he would do. He ha
. done more to destroy the liauor busi
ness in this state than any governor W
J ever had and stands ready today to pu
: it out of each city and town in the stat
, il the people in each city and town wan
it put ont. Then why is he not emit
] tied upon all grounds to an endorse
ment to second term?
/ have been told by reliable, truthfu
christian men who claimed to know th
I truth of their statements, that ell th
3 wealthy wholesale whiskey men an
I distillers in Tennessee are for CarmaC
4 in this campaign. Why are they fC
/, him il he wants state-wid prohibition
' Why should they be for him if he wan
:? to destroy their business and driv
o them out of the state? It is we'll know
y that Walsh, the leading whiskey ma
8 of Memphis, is for Carmack, and it
! said that Nancy Schwab, of Nashvill
9 is for him too. Why is this If be
r such prohibitionist My experien'
i and observation have taught me tn
i the whlskey men are always for the
d friends. They support and vote fl
!. them. Is it possible that Carmack
y playing both the whiskey and the ten
y perance elements in this ight2 Ho
/ do the good church people and preacI
y ers like to be in the same class vii
It Schwab and Walsh?
J. Mr.. Csrmack has been in eongre
z ten years. What did he ever accom-
It lish while there? Name one importal
e measure which be originated while
3 either branch of congress. He hi
o while in congress but one stock
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