Bisbee daily review. [volume] (Bisbee, Ariz.) 1901-1971, 1908-11-15
THE cARMAcK
TRAGEDY.

tragic death of e. ". Carmack, editor
of the Nashville Tennessean. and for
mer United States senator from Ten
nessee.
The immediate proyocation and the
circumstances which surrounded the
climax are too little understood at
this distance to be inteliigently dis
cussed. and il thoroughly understood
they would doubtless fail to convey
any comprehensive warrant for as
sault.
1t is perhaps true in this case as in
others of like nature that the occas-
ION was simply the breaking point OF
pent-up anger and that any trivial
incident would have eliminated in the
same way.
II is lamentable that men in public
life cannot agree Ia disagree but
the race seems not - be making any
near approach to that philosophical
state of mind. and political controver-
sy too often becomes a riot of Ill tenn
per to the point of madness and a IL
cense of tongue TO the extreme OF
scandal. 1t is hard for man to di-
vorce himself from his. cause or to
distinguish his adversary from the OPP
position. Yet that Is the requirement
of good conduct as il Is also the tao
tics of good fighting. says the Fort
Worth Record
And as leaders make themselves is
sues or permit themselves to become
objective instead Of instruments, SO
those who follow are prone TO make
allegiance personal instead of imper-
sonal, and in their expressions and
behavior too often agggravate the anil
mosities they could compose and re-
bule.
1t is not SO bad as 1t once was. but
It is so bad as to sdronish good folk
everywhere to beware of imputing
false motives. and to bride the
tongue of i'll report
Tennessee is not the only scene of
i'll temper and political feud. though
most other places of late have escaped
the actual tragedy. But what came
to pass there is apt TO come to pass
wherever and whenever men indulge
the passion to make others suffer for
real or imaginary wrongs that have
been inflicted.
A brilliant and useful man has fail,
en- because political leaders were not
content to let fact aud logic constitute
the discussion and let the ballot box
end the argument
So much for the moral of the trag-
edy.
In the death of Mr.. Carmack the
south loses a knight of chivalric man.
ner. instictiye courage and brilliant
achievement, and journalism loses
pen keener than am warriors blade.
He adorned every position he held
from the humbIest service of his early
career to the United States senate
and back to the editorial chair.
Incisiye in intellec-, logical in argu-
ment, graceful in diction, he had few
superiors as orator or writer and in
either sphere he was equally at home
and equally masterful.
Passionately devoted to the ideal.
firmly anchored to conviction, he
never hesitated where his mind led
him and conscience lighted the way.
He could not compromise; he knew
no middle ground between right ana
wrong, and he refused to condone,
excuse or tolerate The false or the VI
cious
Such man must needs make enc
niles and provoke vengeance among
those who stumble in the path of his
endeavor. for state or morality or civ
ic righteousness. They who fight
their country's or society's or their
Gods battles may expect to be
fought in turn. and they may count
themselves fortunate. indeed, If they
escape tragedy.
And the observing masses, for
whom the contest is waged. too often
are Indifferent or unappreciative or
ungenerous until the climax comes
and the champion . fallen. Carmack
had not lacked for loving friends ana
followers, but in the midst Of his
struggles he suffered as all heroic
souls suffer in the reproach Of the
Indifferent, who prefer the peace anc
quiet Of wrong and error to the noise
and strife of battling truth