The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1908-01-17
kA1JAcy OF ARGUMENT FOR THE OLD BOSS
p1DDEN FREE PASS CONVENTION
is DEMONSTRATED.
.oms STRIKING ILLUSTRATIONS SHOWING HOW THE "oELEeA'
GATED DODGE" WOULD EFFEcTUALLY oisFRANcH'se
THOUSANDS OF DEMocRATs-FAcTs FoRct
bly, PRESENTED
bly, PR EsENTE0'


recent issue Of the Nashville Banner
The Democratic State Executive
Committee will be called upon to de-
eide whether the Democratic party
shall nominate its candidate for Gov
ernor and other state offices by direct
primary or by convention. 4 1t is uni
yersally assumed that the COM
mittee will decide this ques-
tion in accordance with the wishes
and the supposed interests OF Gov.
Patterson. Newspaper organs would
not say this, but no intelligent man,
speaking seriously and sincerely
would say otherwise.
In May, 1906, the Nashville Ameri-
can, then as now an extreme partisan
of Gov. Patterson, said; When ex-
ecutive committees cease to be used
as the private property of individuals,
then all Democrats who aspire to OF
Ace will get their just dues. But so
long as the party machinery is used
for one Democrats advantage against
equally deserving Democrats, there
will be dissatisfaction and apathy
among the rank and ale"
One of the gravest accusations
which Gov Patterson made against
Gov. Cox was that he had used pa
tronage to control the State Commit
tee and to defeat his demand for
general primary
Assuming the truth Of this charge,
it is plain that there has been no re-
form of these conditions. We have
the same old machine working in the
same old way. OF the eleven mem
beers Of the State Committee, sup
posed to be thorough-going partisans
Of the Governor, at least five have
received appointments for themselves
or their families, while most OF the
others have "got jobs" for their poiiti-
cal friends.
The Importance of this fact should
be Judged in the light OF another edl-
torial. utterance Of the American but
a few weeks ago: "The interests OF
the voter or the party" 1t said, "are
the last things considered by the par
tisans CT candidate They would
use the psrty regardless of its best
interests Is give their candidate what
ever advantage they might think
certain course would afford" The
present situation is that we have a
state Committee largely composed or
the "partisans of candidate" bound
to his fortunes by the ties OF omclai
patronage, their personal Interests
bound UP with his ana dependent up
on his favor. If we may believe the
American the present committee Will
decide the question presented without
regard to the welfare of the party
but solely with a view to the personal
interests OF Gov Patterson. For pres
emf purposes at least, 1t has ceased
to be Democratic committee and has
become a part OF the Governors per
sonal machine.
How lie the GOVERNOR
The important question, then. Is
how ia the Governor himself on the
ouestion? He has record In Favor
OF nomination by direct primary
When he sought the nomination be
fore he said:
Eyes, am in favor OF guberna
torial primary It places the power
in the hands Of the people, whore that
power bellows, and when the people
have spoken there can be no complain
at their action. I have always be
lieved In the people and in primaries
and whenever the primary system De
comes established as mode OF nom
mating all candidates, it Will go
long way toward putting an end u
corruption In elections, and part!
strife will be thing Of the past. M
man who has faith In tie people cai
oppose a eubernatorial primary.
These we're views Gov Patterson
had always" entertained; and We cai
think OF nothing that has since &C
Cured TO change DIS lifelong ant
deep.rooted conviction. Surely 1t wa
not the wild political deheuca ina
attended the proceedings CT the las
conventionl
Yet II is NO longer open tn douh
that Gov. Patterson 10 desperately a.
termined that tbs nomination shal
not 10 rAAds " direct tri-dsss. N7th
inS sH aocoASsetioA .thAs ssNh q q