The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1908-02-06
Tennessee Democracy.
To the Editor Of The American:


Is there to be a continuation next
year of the personal politics among
Tennessee democrats, such, or any
thing like such, as we had last year?
Are there but two democrats in the
broad walks Of Tennessee who have
capacities for governor? Are men to
sink their party allegiance and all the
material interests Of their state into the
vortex of one, bare sumptuary ques.
tion, which, resting upon excellent in
tentions but also upon a misunder.
standing, may run its course for only q
short period of years before it becomes
extinguished in depIorabie reaction
when it reaches its other side? - r.
If conditions raise these questions,
considerate democrats might serve
their state by studying them now. 1t
is barely possible that an adjustment
might be reached before spring, which
would relieve social and party friends
from even contemplating the disgust
ing spectacle Of conflict in merely
personal and. religious politics.
1t appears to be generally believed
that, Mr.. Patterson was fairly nomi-
mated and elected governor. And this
was done after he had been long op.
posed by interested men sufficiently
shrewd and determined to expose his
faults. After his election, and perhaps
before his development as governor, 1t
was alleged that he has glaring faults,
that the people had made mistake,
that they ought to correct it by defeat
ing him for the Gus omary second term
with better man, and, withsl, vir-
tually naming and selecting that better
man. r. -
l knew not the merits or dement's OF
Mr.. Patterson as governor, nor hardly
as anything else. l have no personal
or political interest in him. He is NOT
an object of any of my immediate con-
cern. If good man, he should be
sustained, if bad one, he should be
defeated. In either case, the causes
should be fairly discovered.
But what are the real motives for the
defeat OF Mr.. Patterson-the good OF
the state, the purity OF its government,
or the exchange of an old ring for a
new onef Have the people of the state
any interest in factious feasts, politi-
cal rings and local controversies within
a political party?
Mr.. Carmack is good man, has
good parts, would make q decent gov
ernor, and no one can deny his funda'
mental right to seek the place. But he
now seeks it under the most most glar.
ing and damaging circumstances.
By his present action, if not by his
course before, he has shown that poll
tics is his sole occupation, and that he
is dependant, a hanger-on, not to say
adventurer. Serious men, having long
observed natural habit of exuberant
harshness in his political manners,
undertook to rebuke them with the
soft and gentle manners of the mar
who lately defeated him for the senate
gentle manners being q powerful in
gredient in o man of affairs, or phi
losopher, as we'll as q humorist. These
serious men did not desire to crust
Mr.. Csrmsck. They hoped to reform
mis- methods and support him after
ward The beautiful little reputation
which he made ut the end of his service
in the senate, warmed them towarC
him, and formed a valuable asset fol
his future benefit; but it spoiled thu
man who made it, aud probably caused
, him to plunge from the National Sen
ate chamber Immediately into bittel
and repellant Memphis controversy
before the Legislature at Nashville
This was purely local matter in which
the state, of whose whole people b,
had been an ostensible senator, coulC
have no interest as state. His cours,
|. in this purely local affair, forced con
siderate men to recollect many previ
ous exhibitions of his serions limita
tions, and his proclivities for strife
, So long as the rembrance of that con
troversy ahides, so long will be remem
bered 10 connection with it, the irony
of Mr.. Carmack's authoritative pronun
cimento delivered to the people Ten
nessee. That he should cast into tina
local controversy all the senatorial dig
nifty and prestige he had acquired, anC
call on the whole people to supper
, him, was, indeed, startling.
| sMith oil of his ability Mr.. Carmacl
would he incapable of acknowledging
to himself that his standard of democ
racy is his own liking. He could no
even admit the positive proof, appar
r ent to all, and which falls from his owl
lips, that he is ont Of his own party
i Whatever may be said or subterfug
used, the temperance people are a
) much party as any other, and the.
> are essentially organized. They ar
"a number of persons united in opin
i ion and action; one of the parts int
: which people is divided on question
+ of public policy" They are, therefore
, political party. 1t is, l believe,
part of their creed to abandon thel
: affiliations with any party and its prin
8 ciples, and unite with any other, what
0 ever its principles, which can be relic