The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1908-11-26
WINS RESPECT
OF TRUE CITIZENS
FOR IMPARTIAL JUSTICE.
Law and Order Most and Shall
Prevail in Tennessee, Says
Malcolm r. Patterson

Gov, Patterson not only did himself
great credit by his bold and true-ring-
ing speech at Union City Thursday af-
ternoon, but did incalculable benefit in
unequivocally establishing the way for
law and order and upholding the de-
mands of impartial justice. Every man
in Tennessee feels safer on account #
that deliverance, every officer fees
strengthened and encouraged to see
that the law is respected; every bus
ness man, property owner, and wag,
Garner is more hopeful as he goes about
his daily vocation.
Nothing could be finer, more peril
nent and appropriate than the para
graph on the condition that curses the
south:
My fellow-citizens, there is this
thought | want to impress upon you,
and that is this: There is too much
lawlessness in the south; it is not only
organized but individual and never
hear of a case of either that have not
from the bottom of my heart deplored
it. This lawlessness is not confined to
Tennessee; it extends through all our
southern commonWealths. The most
serious menace in the south today is
lack of respect for law We have a
great section of country, the richest in
the union, and there are vast poSsibili-
ties before us; we have the purest race
of people on the continent; Anglo-SaXon
blood flows through our veins; we
sprang from great and illustrious an
cestors, and we have duty to perform.
No state can advance whose people do
not respect the law; no country can
hold together that is governed by dis
order and not by the principles of law
and justice" " Great applause
The difference in the conditions in
Montgomery and Obion counties was
fully explained:
"Both the sheriff and the judge Of the
court there Gn Montgomery requested
that | should not call out the troops,
protesting that the civil authorities
were amply able to take care of the sit
uation. But l will tell you, that for
six months have kept in Clarksville
a posse of fifty men whom | organized
mytelf These are continually on guard
under Col. Gracey Childers.o =
In Obion the sheriff, the attorney
general and the judge realized the in
adequacy of local authorities alone to
cope with the situation and asked for
the troops. That explanation should
be satisfactory to those who have been
| impatient because of apparent MONACO
tion in other quarters.
The governor was very effective in
his inventory of the damage ensuing,
showing that ii was not countrywide,
and did not even stop at the state bor-
der, but reached beyond the boundaries
of sister states. He recited the damage
done, and statedt that not farm in the
county would bring as much now as
before the Walnut Log raid; that not a
business house in the villages but had
felt the effect in loss of business.
A fit man to lead a people with high
resolves is Malcolm r. Patterson, their
governor, who, under the most eXaspe-
rating circumstances, could with al
most heart-breaking earnestness say:
81 have never borne malice or jeal-
ousy or bitterness in my heart for any
man, and the longer am in public life
and the older grow the more | become
convinced that malice is the ugliest
devil that can inhabit the human soul.
Life is too short for any man to let il
rankle in his breast" (Applause.)
Powerful indeed was his conclusion
$50 long as there are masked bands OF
marauders riding at large, | will keep
; under arms every man in Tennessee il
1 necessary, and use every dollar in the
e treasury, until restore law and order
: in the state. You know now how
feel and what | expect to do"
Tennessee has her face to the morn.
ing, and new day is at hand. Nag
Q ging at the chief executives real short
E comings or imaginary faults will moi
hasten it; yet, thank God, they are
powerless to delay it. This is civiliz
ed state, inhabited by civilized people
: who intend to plant and harvest il
" peace, to trade and mingle without
o danger, to build and develop and pros
e per, to train their children to know and
Il do the right, TO bear their portion o
= lifes burdens and contribute thei
share to the general improvemenkanC
n lasting welfare of humanity.-Nash